An examination of enzyme production by Phytophthora spp. on solid and liquid media

Abstract

Solid media were used to determine which extracellular hydrolytic enzymes are produced by Phytophthora parasitica; P. parasitica var. nicotianae, races 0, 1, and 3; and several other Phytophthora spp. Most isolates produced RNase, DNase, phosphatase, lipase, and cellulase uniformly. All race 3 isolates of P. parasitica var. nicotianae exhibited protease activity on a medium containing gelatin, while only 33 and 60% of the race 0 and I isolates, respectively, and 14% of the P. parasitica isolates did so. Addition of sorbose to this medium enabled the detection of protease activity by most of the isolates. Amylase activity, measured in the culture fluid, was higher in race 3 than in races 0 or 1 of P. parasitica var. nicotianae and P. parasitica.