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Abstract
Trichoderma strains were extensively studied as biocontrol agents due to their ability of producing hydrolytic enzymes, which are considered key enzymes because they attack the insect exoskeleton allowing the fungi infection. The present work aimed to evaluate the ability of chitosanase production by four Trichoderma strains (T. harzianum, T. koningii, T. viride and T. polysporum) under solid stated fermentation and to evaluate the effect of pH and temperature on enzyme activity. pH strongly affected the enzyme activity from all tested strains. Chitosanase from T. harzianum and T. viride presented optimum activity at pH 5.0 and chitosanase from T. koningii and T. polysporum presented optimum activity at pH 5.5. Temperature in the range of 40-50°C did not affect enzyme activity. T. polysporum was found as the most promising strain to produce chitosanase with maximal enzyme activity of about 1.4 IU/gds, followed by T. viride (~1.2 IU/gds) and T. harzianum (1.06 IU/gds).[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]