Effect of moisture level on biodegradation of forest waste under solid state fermentation

Biodegradation of forest waste by hydrolytic enzymes (cellulase and xylanase) secreted by the coculture of Bacillus coagulans and B. licheniformis by changing the moisture level of substrate in solid-state fermentation (SSF) was studied. At optimum moisture level, there was a considerable increase in extracellular enzyme production, thus, consequently increasing the degradation of forest waste. An increase upto 1024% in biodegradation index of dilute sulphuric acid pretreated Cedrus deodara wood was noticed at substrate: moisture ratio of 1:2.