Studies on safe biological control agents synthesis utilizing crustacean wastes and their technological application

Abstract

The present study aimed to produce microbial chitinase enzymes and using these enzymes as a powerful biocontrol agent for plant diseases. Eighteen recommended microbial strains were screened for chitinolytic activity, namely (six bacteria, six fungi & six actinomycetes). The bacterial strains Bacillus licheniformis, B. megaterium, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas putida & P. fluorescenes were obtained from the Culture Collection Center of the NRC, Egypt. While B. subtilis NRRL 1315 was obtained from the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, Illinois 61604, USA (NRS). All of fungal strains, Aspergillus niger, A. terreus, Dichotomous sp., Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride & Penicillium sp. and the actinomycetal strains Actinomadura sp., Nocardia sp., Streptomyces halstedii H2, S. natalensis NRC1, S. NRC 35 & S. sp., were also obtained from The Culture Collection Center NRC.