CELLULASES PRODUCTION BY TWO STRAINS OF CELLULOLYTIC BACILLI USING VARIOUS AGRICULTURE WASTES

Abstract

Some agricultural by-products and wastes such as sugar cane bagasse, corncobs, rice straw, saw dust and wheat bran were investigated as carbon cellulosic sources for production of cellulase, it was found that sugar cane bagasse proved to be the best agricultural waste during 4 days of incubation period for Bacillus alcalophilus S39 and B. amyloliquefaciens C23 in submerged culture after being added to the basal medium. However in solid-state cultivations it was found that sugar cane bagasse was the best waste, achieved after 7 days of incubation period by Bacillus alcalophilus S39 and B. amyloliquefaciens C23. The addition of by-product such as corn steep liquor (CSL) was used as nitrogen source gave the lowest cellulases yield in basal medium and the medium contain cellulosic waste as carbon source. A low price productive medium composed of (sugar cane bagasse as carbon source, yeast extract as nitrogen source & a mixture of elements) was suggested for cellulases production by Bacillus alcalophilus S39 grown in shake flasks as a batch culture for 4 under controlled environmental conditions. The highest cellulases production was achieved after 66 h by Bacillus alcalophilus S39 under controlled environmental conditions using bioreactor as a batch culture. This showed the highest cellulases production 5 % as compared with flaks as a batch culture.