Enhanced Production of Cellulase(S) By Aspergillus spp. Isolated From Agriculture Wastes by Solid State Fermentation

2 Abstract: Twenty nine fungal strains were isolated from agriculture wastes. Aspergillus spp. was the predominant genera in these agriculture wastes. The most potent cellulase producers were selected for studying their cellulase productivities on Wheat Straw (WS), Wheat Bran (WB), Rice Straw (RS) and Corn Cob (CC) as cheap, renewable agriculture wastes by solid state fermentation (SSF). Five Aspergillus spp. and standard strain Trichoderma viride were grown on the agriculture wastes and CMCase, FPase, Avicelase and soluble protein were determined. T. viride produces the highest CMCase on WS (555U/ml), while the highest FPase (141U/ml) and Avicelase (46U/ml) were produced on WB. The isolated strain Aspergillus MAM-F35 gave the highest CMCase (487U/ml), FPase (79U/ml) and Avicelase (35U/ml) on WS. However, the isolated strain Aspergillus MAM-F23 gave the highest CMCase (309U/ml) on RS, while the highest Avicelase (45U/ml) on WS. So, the highest cellulases were produced on the agriculture wastes in the order WS> WB> RS> CC. The most potent strains were exposed to increasing doses of gamma radiation to determine their dose response curve. Gamma radiation reduced the viable count of Aspergillus MAM-F23 and 35 gradually, as the dose increased, the viability decreased. 5.0 and 4.0 kGy reduced the viability of Aspergillus MAM-F23 and 35 completely. Mutant No. 4 of Aspergillus MAM-F23 which exposed to 0.5 kGy produced higher cellulases (CMCase 372U/ml, FPase 64U/ml and Avicelase 39U/ml) than the parent strain (CMCase 305U/ml, FPase 48 U/ml and Avicelase 29U/ml). However, mutant No. 1 of Aspergillus MAM-F35, which exposed also to 0.5 kGy, gave the highest cellulases than the parent strain.