Cellulase production by six Trichoderma spp. fermented on medicinal plant processings

• Published in: Journal of industrial microbiology & biotechnology 2009-04, Vol.36 (4), p.605-609
• Main Authors: Chandra, Mahesh, Kalra, Alok, Sharma, Pradeep K, Sangwan, Rajender S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural wastes; Artemisia; Artemisia - metabolism; Artemisia annua; beta-glucanase; beta-glucosidase; Biochemistry; biodegradation; Bioinformatics; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cellulase; Cellulase - metabolism; cellulases; Cellulose; Chemical products; Cymbopogon - metabolism; Cymbopogon winterianus; Cynodon dactylon; Distillation; enzyme activity; enzyme substrates; Enzymes; Fermentation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal Proteins - metabolism; Gardens & gardening; Genetic Engineering; Herbal medicine; Hypocrea jecorina; Hypocrea koningii; Hypocrea lixii; Hypocrea schweinitzii; Hypocrea virens; Industrial Microbiology; Inorganic Chemistry; Life Sciences; Lignocellulose; lignocellulosic wastes; Medicinal plants; Microbiology; Pharmaceutical sciences; Plants, Medicinal - metabolism; Polymers; Production methods; Short Communication; Studies; Trichoderma; Trichoderma - enzymology; Trichoderma - metabolism; Trichoderma fasciculatum
• ISSN: 1367-5435; 1476-5535
• DOI: 10.1007/s10295-009-0544-9

Capabilities of cellulase production, using delignified bioprocessings of medicinal and aromatic plants, viz. citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus) and Artemisia annua (known as marc of Artemisia) and garden waste (chiefly containing Cynodon dactylon), by the six species of Trichoderma were comparatively evaluated. Among the members of Trichoderma studied, T. citrinoviride was found to be the most efficient producer of cellulases along with a high level of β- glucosidase (produced 102.4 IU g⁻¹ on marc of Artemisia; 101.33 IU g⁻¹ on garden waste; 81.86 IU g⁻¹ on distillation waste of citronella and 94.77 IU g⁻¹ on pure cellulose). Although T. virens was noticed to be the minimal enzyme producer fungus, it interestingly could not produce complete cellulase enzyme complex on any test waste or pure cellulose, except on marc of Artemisia, where it produced all three enzymes of the complex. Immediate reduction in pH was also noticed during fermentation in the case of pure polymer (cellulose) by all tested fungi, while it was delayed with delignified agrowastes. The pH profile varied with the substrate used as well as with individual species of Trichoderma. On the other hand, no alteration in pH with any species of Trichoderma was noticed when grown on marc of A. annua, which might be due to the buffering capacity of this marc.