Abstract:Chitinolytic actinomycetes from lawn soil were screened and identified and their inhibitory activities on four types of turfgrass root rot disease were studied. Results showed that screened Bn035 strain had stronger chitinase activity than the other four strains; the relative diameter of chitin-lytic zone was 3.60 and 3.42, respectively. Its chitinase activity in culture broth reached a maximum value of 1.23 U·mL-1 on the 6th day. Crude enzyme solution and thallus of Bn035 strain showed stronger antifungal activity against all tested fungi. The Bn035 strain was identified as Streptomyces scabrisporus by morphological, cultural, physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic characteristics. The Bn035 strain had strong chitinase activity and inhibitory activity that suggested its potential application in the biological control of turfgrass fungal root rot disease.