Cotton Saccharifying Activity of Cellulases Produced by Co-culture of Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma viride

TLDR: The cellulases obtained from compatible mixed cultures i.e., simultaneous mixing of both fungi have 59-66% more cotton saccharifying activity as compared to their pure cultures and other combinations.

Abstract: Five different co-culture combinations (1:1 ratio, 2.75×10 conidia) of Aspergillus niger MSK-7 (A) 7 and Trichoderma viride MSK-10 (T) i.e., mixing of A and T, mixing of T in 24 and 48 h old monocultures of A, similar mixing of A in 24 and 48 h old monocultures of T and the monocultures of both were evaluated for their potential performance of cellulases production in terms of cotton saccharifying activity. The results of present study showed that the cellulases obtained from compatible mixed cultures i.e., simultaneous mixing of both fungi have 59-66% more cotton saccharifying activity as compared to their pure cultures and other combinations. The fermentation experiments were performed in shake flasks using wheat bran as substrate with E & P as basal nutrition medium. Incubation time (24-168 h), carbon sources with different concentrations and initial pH of fermentation medium was optimized with simultaneous mixed cultures. It was revealed that the cellulose powder (1.0%) at pH 5.5 was the best source of carbon for the enhanced production of cellulases in the compatible mixed culture experiments after 72 h of incubation with 1451 U/h/L.