Enzymatic Activity of Rhizobacillus Isolated from Tomato Rhizosphere

Aim: The aim of this study was to isolate Rhizobacillus from tomato rhizosphere and its screening for the production of hydrolytic enzymes to be used as a biocontrol agent.

Place of Study: The study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria in August 2018.

Methodology: Isolation was of Rhizobacillus carried out from rhizospheric soil of tomato plant at agro-zone along Afao road Ado Ekiti using pour plate method. Enzyme assay was carried out on the bacterial isolates, to examine their ability to produce hydrolytic enzyme required for biocontrol of phytopathogenic fungi. Isolates were tentatively identified with the help of Bergy’s Manual of Systemic Bacteriology.

Results: Ten strains were tentatively identified as B. brevis, B. circulans BC1, B. macquariensis BM1, B. macquariensis BM2, B. macerans, B. macquarensis BM3, B. alcalophilus B. macerans BC11, B. circulans BC3 and B. macerans BC9. All the Isolates demonstrated the ability to produce hydrolytic enzymes with the highest activity recorded in Bacillus macquariensis BM2 (60.28 µmol) for chitinase, Bacillus macerans BC9 (11.14 µmol) for Protease, Bacillus macquariensis BM2 (150.00 µmol) for Glucanase, and Bacillus circulans BC1 (46.45 µmol) for cellulase respectively. In conclusion the Bacillus strains isolated from rhizosphere are promising and could be used in bioprocessing technology to produce hydrolytic enzymes for the purpose of biocontrol in management of phytopathogenic fungi.