Effects of captan on the growth and cellulase production of Aspergillus aculeatus and Botryodiplodia theobromae

The effects of captan on the production of mycelia and cellulolytic enzymes of Aspergillus aculeatus and Botryodiplodia theobromae were investigated in culture. There was decrease in mycelia of both fungi with increase in captan concentration in ppm. No fungal growth was recorded at 400 ppm. Captan at 10–50 ppm at 25 and 30 °C induced both fungi to produce more mycelia than in control cultures. The effect of captan concentration on the production of cellulases showed a decrease in quantity with increase in concentration. At 400 ppm no cellulase was produced by both fungi. There was a general decrease in cellulase production with increase in temperature either in control or experimental cultures. In cultures incorporated with captan, the cellulolytic activities of A. aculeatus (at 10 ppm) and B. theobromae (at 10 ppm, 50 ppm) were found to be relatively high.