• R. udhayakumar
• S.Usharani
• A. Muthukumar

The effect of chitin on population and chitinase activity of antagonistic bacteria were studied under in vitro condition. P. fluorescens (BIB2) and B. subtilis (BIL8) strains in the presence of chitin in liquid medium increased the population of bacterial antagonists. The highest level of bacterial population (200.33 × 108 cfu ml-1of broth) was observed in chitin containing medium inoculated with P. fluorescens (BIB2) strain. Whereas, chitin containing medium inoculated with B. subtilis (BIL8) strain recorded the bacterial population of 141.33 × 108 cfu ml-1of broth. Chitin amendment significantly increased the chitinase activity of both the antagonistic bacterial strains. Of these, P. fluorescens (BIB2) responded well to the addition of chitin and produced highest amount of chitinase (7.39 nmol of GlcNAc min-1 ml-1) in chitin amended medium. Whereas, B. subtilis (BIL8) strain produced 3.92 nmol of GlcNAc min-1 ml-1 of chitinase in chitin amended medium. P. fluorescens (BIB2) + chitin was found to be superior in supporting the survival of P. fluorescens and recorded a population load of 17.00 ×107 cfu g-1of product at 150 days after storage in talc based formulations. Further the population of P. fluorescens (BIB2) slightly increased from 41.00 ×107 cfu g-1of product to 45.33 ×107 cfu g-1of bioformulation at 100 days after storage.

Chitin, Antagonistic bacteria, Population and Chitinase activity.

"INFLUENCE OF CHITIN ON POPULATION DYNAMICS AND CHITINASE ACTIVITY OF ANTAGONISTIC BACTERIA ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 9, page no.313-316, September-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1809842.pdf

"INFLUENCE OF CHITIN ON POPULATION DYNAMICS AND CHITINASE ACTIVITY OF ANTAGONISTIC BACTERIA ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 9, page no. pp313-316, September-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1809842.pdf