TY - JOUR AU - Hewavitharana, N. AU - Kannangara, S.D.P. AU - Senanayake, S.P. PY - 2018/12/28 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Isolation, Identification and Mass production of five Trichoderma spp. on Solid and Liquid Carrier Media for Commercialization JF - International Journal of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology JA - Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol VL - 6 IS - 4 SE - Research Articles: Biological Sciences DO - 10.3126/ijasbt.v6i4.22128 UR - https://nepjol.info/index.php/IJASBT/article/view/22128 SP - 285-293 AB - <p><em>Trichoderma</em> spp. are fast growing fungi, widely used as bio-control agents for controlling soil borne diseases of plants, as well as growth promoters. The present investigation was carried out to isolate and identified fast growing <em>Trichoderma </em>spp. and mass production using low cost widely available solid and liquid carrier materials. Several fungal spp. were isolated and colony and microscopic characterization were observed in order to identify <em>Trichoderma</em> to generic levels following identification keys. Fast growing <em>Trichoderma </em>spp. were confirmed up to species level following ITS-PCR and sequencing. Identified five <em>Trichoderma </em>spp. were inoculated in solid (coir dust, saw dust and parboiled rice) and liquid (coconut water and rice washed water) carrier materials separately under sterile conditions. Viability and stability of each <em>Trichoderma </em>spp. was tested for 180 days at 40 days intervals by calculating the colony forming units per milliliter (CFU/ml). Twelve <em>Trichoderma </em>isolates were identified up to generic level and five <em>Trichoderma</em> isolates were identified as fast growing species based on their growth rates. Following molecular characterization, identities of these five <em>Trichoderma </em>spp. were confirmed as <em>T. viride,</em> <em>T. asperellum</em>, <em>T. virens, T. longibrachiatum </em>and <em>T. harzianum.</em><em> Trichoderma</em> spp<em>. </em>incubated in solid carrier materials showed higher (10<sup>6</sup> CFU/ml) values than the liquid carrier materials (10<sup>4 </sup>CFU/ml) after 180<sup>th</sup> days and it was significantly different. The highest stabilization potential was recorded for parboiled rice (5 x 10<sup>6 </sup>– 8 x 10<sup>6 </sup>CFU/ml) from day 20<sup>th</sup> to180<sup>th</sup> for all five <em>Trichoderma </em>spp. Locally available solid and liquid substrates can be used for the mass multiplication of selected<em> Trichoderma</em> spp<em>. </em>to maintain the viability and virulence for long term commercial availability.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 6(4): 285-293</em></p> ER -