Extracellular Enzymes Production and Non-phytopathogenic Potential Fungi Isolation for the Purpose of Solid Waste Management of Safe Food Production

PURPOSE: Fungi attributed to enhance enzyme activities would be suitable for fast degradation of organic wastes. The present project was undertaken to get fungi from indigenous sources might have higher enzyme activities as well as non-phytopathogenic for fast degradation of organic wastes for the purpose of soil health improvement and reduction of fertilizers load for crop production as safe food approach. METHODS: Accordingly, eight organic wastes were used for fungal species isolation and evaluated it in production of extracellular enzymes activities (amylase, cellulase, lipase and protease) and three crops seeds (mustard, mung bean and barley) germination. RESULTS: Thirty-nine distinct fungal isolates were tested against extracellular enzymes activities and the isolates of 2(1), 2(4), 2(6), 3(1), 3(7), 4(1), 4(2), 4(4) and 6(5) exhibited remarkable positive response to amylase, cellulase, lipase and protease enzymes activities. Subsequently, five fungal isolates [2(4): Trichoderma sp., 2(6): Trichoderma sp., 3(7): Aspergillus sp., 4(4): Trichoderma sp., and 6(5): Penicillium sp.] were selected based on superior performance in enzyme activities and used for seeds germination. Applied fungal suspension significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased percent germination, radicle and plumule length but in most of the cases those values were insignificant to the results obtained in control treatment (tap water). The germination indices were higher at the treatments of 2(6), 3(7) and 6(5) isolates to mustard, mung bean and barley, respectively but closer to control treatment. Moreover, none of the applied fungi induced any pathogenic symptoms to any seeds. CONCLUSION: Perhaps these fungal isolates might play encouraging roles in proper management of organic wastes into compost for agronomic usages in future.