Effect of Pretreatments and Utilization of Lignocellulosic Material for the Microbial Production of Cellulase

Abstract

Fungal strains were isolated and cultured to produce cellulase using lignocellulosic materials i.e. rice husk, wheat bran and bagasse as substrates- untreated, steam treated and alkali treated at room temperature and 100o C. Appreciable cellulose activity was measured with steam treated and alkali heated at room temperature for rice husk and wheat bran. The untreated and steam treated bagasse showed measurable activity while it was very low in bagasse-alkali heated at room temperature and almost negligible activity was detected when bagasse-alkali treated at 100o C was used.