Chitinolytic activity of actinomycetes from a cerrado soil and their potential in biocontrol

The crude enzyme extracts from five actinomycetes selected from a cerrado s oil presented very good endochitinolytic activity when compared to a commer cial chitinase. Exochitinase and chitobiase activities were also detected. They were identified as Streptomyces, but could not be characterized to spe cies level, probably corresponding to new ones. The crude extracts, obtaine d from growth on fungal mycelium plus chitin of three of the strains, have shown a very pronounced activity against phytopathogenic fungi. In tests us ing growing cells, all five strains were active. These data suggest that th ese strains are potential biocontrol agents.