Utilization of Agricultural Biomass for Production of Fungal Cellulases Employing Solid State Fermentation SSF Technique

Abstract

A study was carried out for assessing the potential of local agricultural residues for newlinecellulase production by using fungal isolates. Sixteen agricultural residues were collected newlinefrom nearby farms in and around the areas surrounding Parbhani district of Maharashtra and newlinewere evaluated for further use by checking their proximate and structural composition. The newlinemoisture, ash, carbohydrate, crude protein and fibre content along with cellulose, newlinehemicellulose, and lignin of those selected agro-residues were experimentally examined by newlineusing standard procedures and the results were recorded. Among the sixteen residues tested newlineduring primary studies, all the agro-residues were found to be rich in cellulose, hemicellulose newlineand lignin with the highest cellulose found in sugarcane bagasse (57.28±1.2%) while the newlinelowest was recorded in rice husk which, nevertheless contained the highest amount of lignin newline(41.0±0.09%). Primary and secondary screening of fungal isolates demonstrated that newlineTrichoderma harzianum MTCC 8230 and T. viride MTCC 800 as the most effective cellulase newlineproducers. Thus, cellulase production was carried out employing these two fungal strains and newlinefinally short-listed five agro-residues namely, banana peel (BP), corn cob (CC), groundnut newlinehusk (GH), sugarcane bagasse (SB), and pigeon pea stalk (PPS) through Solid State newlineFermentation (SSF) technique. The outcomes revealed that the evaluated agricultural biomass newlinecan potentially be used as a cheap resource for the manufacturing of cellulase enzymes. The newlineupstream and downstream conditions were optimized for the production of cellulase initially newlinein Petri plates by the One Factor at a Time (OFAT) approach. Further, the effect of significant newlineprocess parameters on the GH and SB was monitored by Response Surface Methodology newline(RSM). The physicochemical parameters used for the production of cellulase based on OFAT newlinewere pH, temperature, and incubation time. newlineFinally, a tray bioreactor was used as a pilot SSF fermenter and the effect of substrate newlinethickness and aeration were investig