Surface and submerged culture studies were carried out for the production of extracellular β-1,3-glucanase and carboxymethylcellulase from Trichoderma harzianum, NCIM 1185. The different parameters which influence the enzyme production, viz., spore age in the slant growth, seed age, and pH (initial) of the production medium have been optimized. The ranges of these parameters studied were: Spore age of T. harzianum between 2 and 10 days, seed age between 12 h and 48 h, and pH (initial) between 3 and 7. The other conditions of fermentation were: Temperature 30°C, gyratory shaker speed 160 rev. min-1. It was observed that the activities of β-1,3-glucanase and carboxymethylcellulase varied during the entire fermentation cycle which had a distinct effect on protoplast generation from T. reesei mycelium. The optimum values of the above-mentioned parameters for lytic enzymes production were: Spore age of T. harzianum in the slant growth 5 days, seed age 36 h, and pH (initial) 5.0 for both surface and submerged culture processes. © 1994 Springer-Verlag.