[Hydrolysis of cellulose by fungi. 1. Screening of cellulolytic strains].

Trichoderma harzianum was selected from 30 strains of cellulolytic fungi with the aim of producing cellulases by solid state fermentation of lignocellulosic substrates. Special attention was paid to cellulase production (i.e. carboxymethylcellulase and filter paper activity), apical growth and conidia production. Under the conditions of our experiments, T. harzianum exhibited the highest cellulasic activities with 1,315 IU/l of carboxymethyl cellulose and 80 IU/l of filter paper activity. Apical growth (1 mm/h) and yield of conidial production (3.25 x 10(10) conidia/g of substrate dry weight) were also valuable characteristics of this strain in the use of solid state fermentation.