N. DIVYA*, K. VEMANA, R. SARADAJAYLAKSHMI, S. GOPALAKRISHNANA, LAVANYA KUMARI, V. SRINIVAS AND M. SWATHI

Department of Plant Pathology, S.V. Agricultural College, ANGRAU, Tirupati-517502.

ABSTRACT

Biological control has become an important part of plant disease management, and it is a cost-effective and safe method in a variety of crops. Trichoderma spp. has attracted scientific attention due to its biocontrol effectiveness against a variety of economically important aerial, root and soil born diseases. In our current study, twenty strains were collected from different agro-climatic zone of Andhra Pradesh out of which, five strains of Trichoderma isolates (AT-1, AT-6, NT-3, KT-1 and KT-3) were screened for their biochemical activity. During the process of mycoparasitism phytopathogen cell walls are degraded by cell wall-degrading enzymes produced from Trichoderma were evaluated in-vitro through the production of cellulase, Protease, amylase, iron chelators (siderophores), cyanhydric acid (HCN) and ammonia (NH₃). Trichoderma isolate AT-6, NT-3 and KT-1 showed positive results for cellulase test. Isolates KT-1 showed positive for protease test. For amylase test KT-3, NT-3 and AT-1 showed positive with halo zone formation and for siderophore assay all the isolates showed positive results and for HCN assay the Trichoderma isolate KT-1, AT-6 and NT-3 showed positive results. For NH₃ assay KT-1, NT-3, AT-6 and KT-3 showed positive.

KEYWORDS: Trichoderma spp. lytic enzymes, cellulase, amylase, protease, siderophore, NH₃ and HCN.