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Factors effecting chitinase activity of Rhizobium sp. from Sesbania sesban

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Abstract

Twenty six Rhizobium strains isolated from root nodules of Sesbania sesban were studied for chitinase activity on chitin agar plates. Among them, only 12 strains showed chitinase activity. The strain showing the highest chitinase activity was selected based on maximum clear zone/colony size ratio on chitin agar plates and chitinase activity in culture filtrate. The strain was identified as Rhizobium sp. which showed a high degree of similarity with Rhizobium radiobacter (= Agrobacterium radiobacter). The cultural and nutritional conditions were optimized for maximum chitinase activity. The Rhizobium sp. exhibited maximum chitinase activity after 36 h of incubation, at neutral pH. Among the different nutritional sources, arabinose and yeast extract were found to be good inducers for chitinase activity. Rhizobium sp. could degrade and utilize dead mycelia of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium udum.

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Abbreviations

CS:

colony size

CZ:

clear zone

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, 522 510, India

    Mutluru Sridevi & Konada V. Mallaiah

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  1. Mutluru Sridevi
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  2. Konada V. Mallaiah
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Correspondence to Konada V. Mallaiah.

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Sridevi, M., Mallaiah, K.V. Factors effecting chitinase activity of Rhizobium sp. from Sesbania sesban . Biologia 63, 307–312 (2008). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-008-0070-7

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