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A Preliminary Study on L-asparaginase from Mangrove Detritus-Derived Fungi and Its Application in Plant Growth Promotion
Varada S. Damare, Kiran G. Kajawadekar
MycoAsia 2020/04.
https://doi.org/10.59265/mycoasia.2020-04
Abstract
L-asparaginase is an enzyme with wide applications in medicine, the food industry, and the development of biosensors. However, its potential as a plant growth promoter remains poorly studied. In this preliminary study, we investigated the plant growth-promoting characteristics of L-asparaginase derived from two filamentous fungi, Peroneutypa sp. GU-S and Lecanicillium sp. GU-G, isolated from mangrove detritus in Goa, India. The enzyme produced by these fungi was active at room temperature and 37°C and showed higher activity under aeration. The optimal pH for asparaginase activity was determined to be 8. The enzyme from Peroneutypa sp. GU-S exhibited greater stability at lower pH (4) and was further processed. Economical sources, such as powdered soya and grass, were used for enzyme production via solid-state fermentation. Germinating seeds of pea (Pisum sativum) inoculated with the crude enzyme extract displayed enhanced seedling quality compared to un-inoculated seeds. Within twenty days of incubation, the shoot and root lengths of the test plants were 1.2 and 2.2 times greater, respectively, than those of the control plants. This study demonstrates the plant growth-promoting ability of L-asparaginase and encourages further investigation on other plant species.
Plain Language Summary
An enzyme called L-asparaginase is commonly used in medicine and the food industry, but its potential to help plants grow is not well understood. In this preliminary study, scientists investigated L-asparaginase produced by two types of fungi isolated from mangrove forests in Goa, India. They grew these fungi on low-cost materials like powdered soya and grass to produce the enzyme. When this enzyme was applied to pea seeds, the seedlings showed significantly better growth. After twenty days, the treated plants had shoots that were 1.2 times longer and roots that were more than twice as long compared to untreated plants. This research demonstrates that L-asparaginase from these fungi shows great promise as a natural agent for promoting plant growth.
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