This study aims to evaluate the phosphate solubilization potential of the Trichoderma spp. isolates found in the commercial product Trichoplus JCO. The strains were isolated, molecularly identified and grown in vitro. The soluble phosphate concentration was quantified at 3, 6, 9 and 12 days after transplanting. Rice was inoculated with the Trichoderma strains in greenhouse conditions with 10 to 60 x10(8) conidia per gram of rice and then planted. At 30 and 45 days after planting (DAP), plant growth characteristics were determined. The phosphate concentrations of most of the Trichoderma strains showed a general trend of increasing from days 3 to 9. At 30 DAP, Tr. Harz and Tr. TSM had a higher significant difference. At 45 DAP, the rice inoculated with Tr. Harz, Tr. Euc and Tr. TSM had the greatest increase in the total dry matter compared with the control. The rice inoculated with Tr. Euc and Tr. TSM had the best relative efficiencies, and the rice inoculated with Tr. Din and Tr. TSM demonstrated the highest P-UEF. Finally, the rice inoculated with Tr. Harz (T. asperelloides), Tr. Euc (T. harzianum) and Tr. TSM (T. harzianum) had the highest efficiency in phosphate solubilization with increases in rice biomass.

El maíz se ha convertido en uno de los cereales más consumidos en el mundo. Es utilizado para la alimentación humana y animal y como materia prima en la producción de almidón industrial y alimenticio, en la elaboración de edulcorantes, dextrinas, aceite y otros productos derivados de su proceso de fermentación, como son el etanol, el alcohol industrial, el dióxido de carbono (CO2), diversos aminoácidos, antibióticos y plásticos, y como sustituto del petróleo y sus derivados que son recursos no renovables. Para la obtención de estos productos se lleva a cabo un proceso de molienda húmeda que comprende una serie de etapas importantes para la producción de almidón y sus derivados. Esta exploración se relaciona con el origen, estructura, procesamiento y aplicaciones del maíz y algunos de sus derivados.

The screening plate method is commonly used for previous detection of cellulases produced by micro-organisms with biotechnological potential. In this manuscript, the authors aim to evaluate the hydrolytic ability of different fungi isolated from soil for the production of cellulolytic enzymes for cellulose degradation and determining the enzymatic index (EI) in relation to the growth of fungal colony and halo. The fungi were grown in carboxymethyl cellulose medium (CMC 1% w/v) and Avicel medium (Cellulose microcrystalline 1% w/v) for the determination of endo-glucanases and exo-glucanases respectively at 28°C for 48 h. Four chromogenic dyes were used: Congo Red, Phenol Red, Trypan Blue and Gram’s Iodine. Also, another screening method was compared using carboxymethyl cellulose medium (CMC 1% w/v) at 28°C for 96 h and exposed with Congo Red dye in buffer Tris HCl 0.1 M, pH 8.0. The results obtained allowed to find significant differences between the tested fungi, the growth time and chromogenic dyes. The strains with higher Enzymatic Index (EI) were JCO1, UFT1, UFT2 and UFT3 for endo-glucanases and JCO2, UFT1, UFT2 and UFT3 for exo-glucanases. Key words: Cellulases, chromogenic dyes, filamentous fungi, endo-glucanase, exo-glucanase.

The rhizosphere contains many microorganisms that can promote plant growth and protect the root system against infection by pathogens. Fungi of Trichoderma sp. are included in this group. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficiency of the inoculation of Trichoderma in agronomic performance of cowpea under field conditions, in the savanna in Gurupi, Tocantins, in harvests 2013/2014 to 2014/2015. The treatments consisted in seed treatment, with and without inoculation with Trichoderma asperellum UFT 201 with minimum concentration of viable conidia of 2x10(9) L-1, at a dose of 20 g kg-1 of seed. Biomass evaluations were made on efficiency, initial and final stands and survival in the use of Trichoderma in the stand maintaining and productivity. The results indicated that the ability of bio-protection and plant growth promotion were of great importance for the biomass production, the stand maintaining and cowpea productivity. In both harvests, survival was superior in the plants treated with Trichoderma, 23.0 and 13.2%, respectively, and yields were 9.5% higher compared to control for the two harvests. In general, the inoculation of Trichoderma provided the best results in the biomass variables analyzed for the two crops with higher productivity.

Thraustochytrids are emerging as a valuable biomass source for high-quality omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), crucial for both human and animal nutrition. This research focuses on cultivating Schizochytrium limacinum SR21 using cost-effective agro-industrial by-products, namely sugarcane molasses (SCM), corn steep liquor (CSL), and residual yeast cream (RYC), to optimize biomass and lipid production through a comprehensive multistep bioprocess. The study involved optimization experiments in shake flasks and stirred-tank bioreactors, where we evaluated biomass, lipid content, and DHA yields. Shake flask optimization resulted in significant enhancements in biomass, lipid content, and lipid production by factors of 1.12, 1.72, and 1.92, respectively. In a 10 L stirred-tank bioreactor, biomass surged to 39.29 g/L, lipid concentration increased to 14.98 g/L, and DHA levels reached an impressive 32.83%. The optimal concentrations identified were 66 g/L of SCM, 24.5 g/L of CSL, and 6 g/L of RYC, achieving a desirability index of 0.87, aimed at maximizing biomass and lipid production. This study shows that agro-industrial by-products can be effective and low-cost substrates for producing lipids using thraustochytrids, offering a sustainable option for omega-3 PUFA production. The findings support future improvements in bioprocesses and potential uses of thraustochytrid biomass in food fortification, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, and as vegan omega-3 sources.