The isolation and identification of microorganisms that produce enzyme of commercial interest utilizing tubers of yam bean legume (Pachyrrizus erosus L. Urban) was the main objective of this work. Endophytic and epiphytic microorganisms were isolated by micromorphologyc observation. The agar diffusion method was used to determine the enzymatic activity. Sixty-eight isolates from yam bean tubers were cultured at 280 C in solid medium specific to amylase, lipase, protease and cellulase for 96h. The epiphytic microorganisms Pithomyces (7,3%), Aspergillus (19,2%), Fusarium (5,9%) and Trichoderma (5,8%) and the endophytic microorganisms Mucor (7,3%), Rhizopus (10,3%) Bacillus (19%), Staphylococcus (10,3%) and Nocardiopsis (15%) were isolated. Compared to the specific standard culture Nocardiopsis sp. showed higher lipolytic activity and similar amylolitic activity. Mucor sp., Pithomyces sp. and Staphylococcus sp, produced proteolytic activity lower than the standard culture. None isolate showed celulolytic activity.
Yam bean; endophytic; epiphytic; microbial isolation