Simple and easy method for the determination of fungal growth and decolourative capacity in solid media

A technique was developed for studying the biodegradative ability of white rot fungi in different solid media. This technique enables the gravimetric determination of fungal growth (increase of biomass) and the spectrometric measurement of fungal decolourization ability (both by the determination of the production of the extracellular enzyme manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) and by the rate of decolourization of dyes). Bjerkandera sp., strain BOS55, was grown in different solid media. Its growth rate, decolourization of solophenil blue 2BL (azoic dye), neutral red (eurhodin dye), methyl green and crystal violet (triphenylmethane dyes) and the production of MnP were determined. Application of this technique enabled a spectrometric quantification of enzymatic activity. Assays indicate that greater amounts of MnP were present in agar plate cultures of Bjerkandera sp. than in liquid cultures.