Value-addition of agricultural wastes for augmented cellulase and xylanase production through solid-state tray fermentation employing mixed-culture of fungi

Abstract Solid-state fermentation (SSF) was performed to evaluate the potential of agricultural residues for the production of cellulase and hemicellulase using individual and mixed cultures of Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reseei . The maximum filter paper (FP) cellulase activity of 13.57 IU/gram dry substrate (gds), 22.89 IU/gds and 24.17 IU/gds and β-glucosidase activities of 21.69 IU/gds, 13.58 IU/gds and 24.54 IU/gds were obtained with wheat bran medium at 96 h incubation period with A. niger , T. reseei and mixed-cultures of A. niger and T. reseei , respectively. Mixed-culture SSF using rice straw supplemented with wheat bran in the ratio 3:2 resulted in higher FP cellulase, β-glucosidase, endoglucanase (CMCase) and xylanase activities, compared to the activities obtained using mono-cultures. Similarly, higher FP cellulase, β-glucosidase, CMCase and xylanase activities of 35.8 IU/gds (96 h), 33.71 IU/gds (96 h), 131.34 IU/gds (120 h) and 3106.34 IU/gds (120 h) were achieved in the tray fermentation using rice straw with wheat bran in the ratio of 3:2. Results of present investigation showed that higher cellulase activity and an optimal combination of cellulase and β-glucosidase can be achieved through mixed-culture SSF in trays. The approach of utilizing negative cost agricultural wastes through tray fermentation for cellulase and hemicellulase production is expected to serve the objectives of: (a) management of wastes which would otherwise cause environmental pollution problems; (b) production of hydrolytic enzymes at low cost and; (c) simple technique requiring no sophisticated instruments with practical applications.