PRODUCTION OF INULINASE BY THERMO-ALKALI TOLERANT STENOTROPHOMONAS MALTOPHILIA PSSB7 ISOLATED FROM AGRO-WASTES

Thermo-alkali tolerant strain isolated from banana fields produced high levels of inulinase with banana peel as carbon source and showed good growth at pH 6.5 to 9.5 and 40oC to 65oC. It was identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia PSSB7 by 16S rDNA analysis, and it is deposited in NCL, Pune with strain number-NCIM 5323, with the accession numberFJ707375. The optimal parameters for the production of inulinase was as follows: pH 8.0, temp 45°C, higher levels of inulinase (5551± 4.583 U/L) was achieved with 1% of banana peel. And was found to be the best carbon source and the effect of different substrates influenced the biosynthesis of inulinase indicating its role as a constitutive enzyme in our strain. Sodium nitrate a best nitrogen source and Mn+ was found to be the most suitable one. All these conditions make it a potential strain for the industrial production from agro based wastes.