Diversity and enzymatic activity of some fungi isolated from agricultural soil

Fungi are one of the most important groups of microorganisms in the environment, and due to their ability to produce several types of enzymes, they play an essential role in the environment. During this study, fourteen species of fungi were isolated from fifteen soil samples collected from several agricultural areas in Basrah Governorate, southern Iraq, and their enzymatic activity was tested for four extracellular enzymes (cellulase C, laccase La, lipase Lp, and manganese peroxidase Mp) on specific solid media. The isolated fungi showed good enzymatic activity, in which 12 fungal species can secret manganese peroxidase, 11 can secret cellulase, 9 can secret lipase, and five can secret laccase enzyme. Aspergillus candidus and A. versicolor showed a positive detection for all enzymes, Cladosporium showed positive detection for C, Lp, and Mp, while Mucor sp. showed negative detection for all enzymes. Keywords: Enzymatic activity, Fungal diversity, soil.