IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF CHITINOLYTIC STRAINS OF STENOTROPHOMONAS MALTOPHILIA, ISOLATED FROM MENTHA AND OCIMUM PLANTS OF SAUDI ARABIA

W. A. ALSHEHRI; O. I. ELHAMSHARY; N. H. ALQOURASHY; S. E. AHMAD

Volume : V, Issue : VII, July - 2016

IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF CHITINOLYTIC STRAINS OF STENOTROPHOMONAS MALTOPHILIA, ISOLATED FROM MENTHA AND OCIMUM PLANTS OF SAUDI ARABIA

W. A. Alshehri, O. I. Elhamshary, N. H. Alqourashy, S. E. Ahmad

Abstract :

The research screened chitinolytic rhizobacteria isolated from Mentha and Ocimum plants from Jeddah, Mecca and Al–Madinah Al–Munawaraha of Saudi Arabia to determine their chitinase activity in degrading chitin on colloidal chitin media. Bacterial isolates evaluated for chitin degradation on chitinase detection agar after 7,10 and 15 days at 30�C. Out of 100 colonies nine isolates showed halo zone around their colonies. Isolates identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The research aim is to screen chitinolytic rhizobacteria isolated from different plants at some localities of Kingdom Saudi Arabia to determine their chitinase activity in degrading chitin of shrimp. In addition, the highest chitinase production isolates will detect by PCR technique and identified morphology and 16s rDNA sequences. This study summarizes the advances of using chitinase production from chitinolytic rhizobacteria with special advantage to be biological fungicide and insecticide to control pathogenic fungi and insect pests.