Thesis (BS Biology) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2003

Twelve entomogenous fungi collected from Compostela Valley, Davao oriental and Tugbok District, Davao City and isolated from jewel beetle, long-horned beetle, rhinoceros beetle, grasshopper, housefly, katydid, and wasp by a previous researcher were screed for cellulose activity, specifically for the presence of three types of cellulose enzymes namely, endogucanase, exoglucanase and -glucosidase. Trichoderma harzianum served as the control. Ten were verified as aspergillus sp. while two were Metarrhizium sp. all thirteen entomogenous fungi, including the control, showed red zone or clearing for the agar diffusion assay but only seven including the control, were identified as potentially high cellulolytic enzyme producer. These were Sla (Aspergillus isolated from rhinoceros beetle), Slc (Aspergillus isolated from grasshopper 2). S2a (metarrhizium isolated from rhinoceros beetle), and S2b (Metarrhizium isolated from grasshopper). The six fungal isolates exhibited cellulose activity comparable to the control. In filter paper assay, fungal isolates S2a and S1b of genus Metarrhizium and the control had the largest amount of cellobiohydrolase enzymes. On the other hand, fungal isolate S1a had the largest amount of avicelase enzymes among all isolates.