Exploring fibrous byproducts as substrates to generate fibrolytic enzymes

This research was focused to identify suitable fibrous byproducts to grow Trichoderma viridae and optimize the conditions for the production of fibrolytic enzymes viz. cellulase and xylanase. An experiment was carried out on agro-industrial fibrous byproducts viz, coconut coir pith, saw dust, groundnut shells, paddy husk and sugarcane bagasse to select best substrates for Trichoderma viridae. The selection was based on nine measurements on a score card that gave weightage to parameters such as physical growth of Trichoderma viridae, absence of contamination, spore count on the 10th day, cellulase and xylanase activity of enzyme extract on 10^th day. Among the agro-industrial fibrous byproducts paddy husk inoculated at the rate of 10⁶ spores/5 gram in 10 days of incubation at 30°C at pH 5 and 70 per cent moisture showed good physical growth of Trichoderma viridae, with no contamination, had higher spore count and was the only substrate that evinced activity of cellulase and xylanase.