Production of Cellulases by Solid State Fermentation of Different Agricultural Residues Using Humicola insolens MTCC 1433

The production of cellulases is an important strategy for the development of sustainable second-generation ethanol production processes. The present study was undertaken to select cheap and efficient agricultural residue suitable for cellulase production using fungus Humicola insolens. Six different agricultural residues viz., paddy straw, soybean pod husk, sugarcane bagasse, groundnut shells, corn stalks and pigeonpea pod husk were used as substrate in the solid state fermentation medium. Among all the substrates, maximum filter paper (FPase), carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase), cellobiase and xylanase activities of 71.28 nmol/min/gds, 227.33 nmol/min/gds, 101.02 nmol/min/gds, 1988.62 nmol/min/gds respectively were recorded at 72 hours after incubation using soybean pod husk as substrate, followed by sugarcane bagasse with 58.78 nmol/min/gds FPase, 225.55 nmol/min/gds CMCase, 96.10 nmol/min/gds cellobiase and 1727.94 nmol/min/gds xylanase activities. Soybean pod husk showed maximum cellulase activity as compared to all comparatively other residues.