Alkalophilic and alkali-tolerant soil fungi from Celtis tala and Scutia buxifolia forests in eastern Buenos Aires province (Argentina).

LORENA ELÍADES, MARTA CABELLO, MARIO SAPARRAT , CLAUDIO VOGET

Current Topics in Biotechnology

MD Publications Pvt Ltd

Año: 2011 vol. 6 p. 1 - 11

0972-821X

Most soil fungi grow in acid environments; however, some of them are able to grow in alkaline conditions. This study is based on the need to establish a link between the ecological studies related to the fungal diversity of the alkaline soils of Argentina, and the development of biotechnological processes. Saprotrophic fungi have an enormous dispersal potential and an efficient enzymatic system that guarantees their biological role. They can degrade a great variety of carbon sources from plants tissues, and their decomposing activity is essential for the redistribution of nutrients in the soil. The alkalophilic and alkali-tolerant fungi that grow in Celtis tala and Scutia buxifolia forests soils from eastern Buenos Aires province (Argentina) have been here described. Many of the fungal strains tested presented the capacity of producing amylases, cellulases, keratinases and other proteases and chitinases at high pH levels