Biocontrol potential of Trichoderma-derived chitinase: optimization, purification, and antifungal activity against soilborne pathogens of apple

Apple is most important fruit crop in Himachal Pradesh, contributing substantially to the state’s economy. However, soilborne diseases have emerged as a major concern affecting nursery-raised apples. Trichoderma species produce chitinase, an enzyme that degrades chitin, a major component of the fung...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Akanksha, Satish K. Sharma, Bhupesh K. Gupta, Neerja Rana, Anju Sharma, Pramod Verma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Fungal Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffunb.2025.1618728/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849406678288564224
author Akanksha
Satish K. Sharma
Bhupesh K. Gupta
Neerja Rana
Anju Sharma
Pramod Verma
author_facet Akanksha
Satish K. Sharma
Bhupesh K. Gupta
Neerja Rana
Anju Sharma
Pramod Verma
author_sort Akanksha
collection DOAJ
description Apple is most important fruit crop in Himachal Pradesh, contributing substantially to the state’s economy. However, soilborne diseases have emerged as a major concern affecting nursery-raised apples. Trichoderma species produce chitinase, an enzyme that degrades chitin, a major component of the fungal cell wall. This study aimed to optimize the growth parameters for chitinase production, extraction, purification, and characterization and to assess the antifungal potential against soilborne pathogens of apple. A total of 14 isolates of Trichoderma spp. produced chitinases in a colloidal chitin agar (CCA) medium to varying extents. The optimal incubation period, pH, substrate concentration, and incubation temperature were 7 days, 5, 1%, and 30°C, respectively, while the thermal and pH stability ranged from 30°C to 50°C and from 4 to 6, respectively. Chitinases were purified from Trichoderma atroviride UHFTA005 and UHFTA006 and from Trichoderma virens UHFTV017 with a molecular mass of 40 kDa. The chitinase from T. atroviride UHFTA005 at 0.60 μl inhibited the in vitro growth of Dematophora necatrix (92.22%) and Sclerotium rolfsii (91.11%). In a further in vivo evaluation of the chitinases, T. atroviride UHFTA005 was found to be more effective against white root rot and seedling blight of apple, with disease control of 86.67% and 73.33%, respectively, and with 86.67% white root rot disease control in nursery field conditions suggesting its strong potential as a biocontrol agent in nursery field conditions.
format Article
id doaj-art-4c8bafa856ab4ad08dea0812dc67e6d1
institution Kabale University
issn 2673-6128
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Fungal Biology
spelling doaj-art-4c8bafa856ab4ad08dea0812dc67e6d12025-08-20T03:36:18ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Fungal Biology2673-61282025-07-01610.3389/ffunb.2025.16187281618728Biocontrol potential of Trichoderma-derived chitinase: optimization, purification, and antifungal activity against soilborne pathogens of apple AkankshaSatish K. SharmaBhupesh K. GuptaNeerja RanaAnju SharmaPramod VermaApple is most important fruit crop in Himachal Pradesh, contributing substantially to the state’s economy. However, soilborne diseases have emerged as a major concern affecting nursery-raised apples. Trichoderma species produce chitinase, an enzyme that degrades chitin, a major component of the fungal cell wall. This study aimed to optimize the growth parameters for chitinase production, extraction, purification, and characterization and to assess the antifungal potential against soilborne pathogens of apple. A total of 14 isolates of Trichoderma spp. produced chitinases in a colloidal chitin agar (CCA) medium to varying extents. The optimal incubation period, pH, substrate concentration, and incubation temperature were 7 days, 5, 1%, and 30°C, respectively, while the thermal and pH stability ranged from 30°C to 50°C and from 4 to 6, respectively. Chitinases were purified from Trichoderma atroviride UHFTA005 and UHFTA006 and from Trichoderma virens UHFTV017 with a molecular mass of 40 kDa. The chitinase from T. atroviride UHFTA005 at 0.60 μl inhibited the in vitro growth of Dematophora necatrix (92.22%) and Sclerotium rolfsii (91.11%). In a further in vivo evaluation of the chitinases, T. atroviride UHFTA005 was found to be more effective against white root rot and seedling blight of apple, with disease control of 86.67% and 73.33%, respectively, and with 86.67% white root rot disease control in nursery field conditions suggesting its strong potential as a biocontrol agent in nursery field conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffunb.2025.1618728/fullbiological controlchitinchitinasesoil borneTrichoderma
spellingShingle Akanksha
Satish K. Sharma
Bhupesh K. Gupta
Neerja Rana
Anju Sharma
Pramod Verma
Biocontrol potential of Trichoderma-derived chitinase: optimization, purification, and antifungal activity against soilborne pathogens of apple
Frontiers in Fungal Biology
biological control
chitin
chitinase
soil borne
Trichoderma
title Biocontrol potential of Trichoderma-derived chitinase: optimization, purification, and antifungal activity against soilborne pathogens of apple
title_full Biocontrol potential of Trichoderma-derived chitinase: optimization, purification, and antifungal activity against soilborne pathogens of apple
title_fullStr Biocontrol potential of Trichoderma-derived chitinase: optimization, purification, and antifungal activity against soilborne pathogens of apple
title_full_unstemmed Biocontrol potential of Trichoderma-derived chitinase: optimization, purification, and antifungal activity against soilborne pathogens of apple
title_short Biocontrol potential of Trichoderma-derived chitinase: optimization, purification, and antifungal activity against soilborne pathogens of apple
title_sort biocontrol potential of trichoderma derived chitinase optimization purification and antifungal activity against soilborne pathogens of apple
topic biological control
chitin
chitinase
soil borne
Trichoderma
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffunb.2025.1618728/full
work_keys_str_mv AT akanksha biocontrolpotentialoftrichodermaderivedchitinaseoptimizationpurificationandantifungalactivityagainstsoilbornepathogensofapple
AT satishksharma biocontrolpotentialoftrichodermaderivedchitinaseoptimizationpurificationandantifungalactivityagainstsoilbornepathogensofapple
AT bhupeshkgupta biocontrolpotentialoftrichodermaderivedchitinaseoptimizationpurificationandantifungalactivityagainstsoilbornepathogensofapple
AT neerjarana biocontrolpotentialoftrichodermaderivedchitinaseoptimizationpurificationandantifungalactivityagainstsoilbornepathogensofapple
AT anjusharma biocontrolpotentialoftrichodermaderivedchitinaseoptimizationpurificationandantifungalactivityagainstsoilbornepathogensofapple
AT pramodverma biocontrolpotentialoftrichodermaderivedchitinaseoptimizationpurificationandantifungalactivityagainstsoilbornepathogensofapple