Effect Of Fungicides On Feather Degradation And Keratinolytic Ability

Abstract

    Keratinophilic fungi that decompose keratinous substrate have got interest in recent days and are an important part of the soil microbiome. Soil represents the major pool of these fungi, where there is more keratin substrate. Feathers are the major by-product from the poultry industry which is chiefly composed of keratins. From poultry industry vast amount of feather is produced which could become pollutant. The aim of this study was to focus on the feather degrading ability of C. keratinophilum and M. gypseum at different concentration of fungicides – 10 ppm, 20ppm, 30ppm and 40ppm. The fungicides used were Bavistin, Aureofungin and Dithane M-45. All the fungicides showed suppressive effect overall and the keratinase production was decrease with increase in fungicidal conc. Bavistin and Dithane M-45 were highly effective. After evaluation of these fungicides at different conc. help us to standardize the best fungicides viz. Bavistin and Dithane M-45 against C. keratinophilum and M. gypseum.

KEYWORDS: Keratinolytic fungi, fungicides, feather, pollutant, poultry industry, keratinolytic ability