PRODUCTION OF XYLANASE BY ASPERGILLUS SPP. IN SOLID STATE FERMENTATION

Isolation and screening of fungal hetero-culture for the production of xylanase were dealt with. The fungal strains were isolated from different soil samples and subjected to primary and secondary screening for xylanase production. The hetero-culture LCWU-31consists of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus which showed highest xylanlolytic potential. Six different fermentation media were screened and M-2 medium containing wheat bran was designated as an optimized medium. Different physico-chemical parameters including rate of fermentation, incubation temperature, pH, moisture content, size of inoculum were studied. The optimum xylanase production was obtained at 96 hrs, 30 degrees C, pH 6 and 40% moisture content with 2 ml of inoculum. The 2% glucose and 0.075% of NaNO3 act as best carbon and nitrogen source, respectively. The maximal xylanase production was obtained in the presence of CaCl2. The novelty of this study was the use of synergistic phenomena of fungi by the use of hetero-culture technique for the enhanced production of xylanase.