The objective of this work was to quantify the activities of lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and laccase produced by the white-rot basidiomicete Ganoderma spp. Initially, four strains were cultured, in the presence of Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR), to evaluation with regard to their ligninolytic potential by decolorization of the dye. Two strains that showed the best ligninolytic potential GASI3.4, and CCB209 were cultured in liquid culture medium, added or not of wheat bran (4.5 g) and/or propanil (2.5 mu g mL(-1)) to determine the enzymatic activities. The cultures were incubated for 7 days at 30 degrees C, and after that they were filtered and utilized for determination of the enzymatic activities of lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and laccases. Two Ganoderma sp. strains showed differences in enzymatic activity depending on the culture condition, in spite of having similar protein secretion patterns and biomass yields. In general, the presence of wheat bran induced a high production of the enzymes, while the presence of herbicide inhibited the activities of LiP and MnP only in the strain GAS13.4. (c) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.