Utilization of pretreated corn cobs for cellulase production by pycnoporus coccineus

This research study was conducted with the greater aim of understanding the potentially efficient fungal cellulase production from low cost lignocellulosic substrate.  This study has attempted to use pretreated corn cobs as a substrate for cellulase production via solid-state fermentation (SSF) by white rot fungus, Pycnoporus coccineus . The effects of moisture content, incubation temperature, initial pH value and the nitrogen source on  cellulase biosynthesis were observed for optimal production in flask fermentors. The optimal filter paper activity (FPase; 10.303±0.353 U/gds), carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase; 14.812±0.360 U/gds) and cellobiase (1.118±0.054 U/gds), were obtained after 9 days of fermentation with an initial moisture content of 70%, initial pH value of 6.0, incubation temperature of 30 o C. Additionally, yeast extract has been determined to be a good nitrogen source. These results suggest that the crude cellulase production under SSF using pretreated corn cobs as a substrate could be an alternative choice for commercial enzyme preparations.