The hydrolytic potential of bacterial strains was initially determined using a plate assay method at 10 °C. Each exponentially grown bacterial isolate was spot inoculated for protease on skim milk agar (HiMedia, India), cellulase on carboxymethylcellulose agar [35], amylase on starch agar (HiMedia...
At the beginning of the experiment, the isolates were transferred to water agar (WA; 16 g/L; Agar-Agar, Type I, HiMedia) to deplete possible food reserves accumulated in the hyphae. Subsequently, plugs excised with a sterilised cork borer (ø 5 mm) from the edge of the growing fungal...