Abstract

Bacterial phytases and phytase-producing bacteria are of great industrial significance in the poultry industry and also in phosphorus pollution management. This study was designed to isolate and screen for phytase producing lactic acid bacteria from the duodenum, ileum and cecum of eight healthy cockerel samples. Standard microbiological procedures were followed to isolate phytase producing lactic acid bacteria using de Man Rogosa and Sharp (MRS) agar while extracellular phytase screening was done using phytase specific medium. The range of total microbial count obtain was highest at the cecum (2.85±0.11 to 4.34±0.12 log10 cfu/ml), lower at the duodenum (2.02±0.11 to 4.27±0.20 log10 cfu/ml) and lowest at the ileum (2.00±0.21 to 4.19±0.25 log10 cfu/ml). Nineteen bacterial isolates were identified as lactic acid bacteria on the basis of morphological, biochemical and physiological characterization and later identified as Lactobacillus species (78.94), Enterococcus species (15.78) and Lactococcus species (5.26). Thirteen out of the nineteen lactic acid bacteria showed phytase activity. Low phytase activity was observed in eight of the lactic acid bacteria isolates while five of the isolates produced significant extracellular phytase activity (>6mm). The most predominant Lactobacillus species were also found to be the most potent phytase producers. This can be exploited for industrial production of phytase in upgrading the nutritional status of feed and combating phosphorus pollution from poultry waste. © 2020, Online Journal of Animal and Feed Research. All rights reserved