Screening of fungal strains isolated from dead insects for production of plant litter-degrading enzymes

Exploring the enzymatic capabilities of fungi is of great importance to better understand their ecological roles and improving their manifold usage in industry. Therefore, rapid and reliable screening methods to evaluate fungal enzymatic potentials are needed. In this study, 76 fungal strains were isolated and identified from insect pests from citrus plantations in Guilan province, northern Iran. All the strains belonged to Akanthomyces and Lecanicillium (Ascomycota: Hypocreales). Plate assay methods were applied to investigate fungal ability to produce the following enzymes: Endo-1,4-β-glucanase (CM-cellulase, endoglucanase and endocellulase), β-Glucosidase, Cellobiodydrolase, pectinase and laccase. The results showed that the majority of the strains were able to produce at least one of these enzymes. The cellulolytic activity was found in 33 % and laccase activity was detected in 11 % of all strains tested.  Interestingly, the enzymatic ability of strains identified as A. muscarius and A. lecanii, were generally different, likely confirming their taxonomic position.