“Green” approach in utilization of common agroforestry residues by Laetiporus sulphureus enzymes’ cocktail

Laetiporus sulphureus BEOFB 1040 has shown the capacity to produce ligninolytic enzymes and consequently degrade eight common agroforestry residues. The highest activities of Mn-dependent and Mn-independent peroxidases (2079.55 U/L and 492.42 U/L, respectively) were detected after treatment of plum and oak sawdust, while laccases synthesis was inhibited by all tested residues. However, despite laccase absence this brown-rot species was not only a good depolymerizer of cellulose and hemicellulose but also an effective delignifier of selected residues. The highest level of lignin content reduction of 43.09% along with high degradation of holocellulose (35.24% of cellulose and 38.42% of hemicellulose) was noted in raspberry sawdust. On the other hand, a selectivity index of even 4.55 was achieved on wheat straw where only 20.27% of lignin was degraded. Consequently, the highest and the lowest dry matter loss (21.25% and 5.83%) were noted on raspberry sawdust and wheat straw, respectively. These results indicate that L. sulphureus BEOFB 1040 is a mushroom with a strong potential for different biotechnological applications and certainly deserves further studies.