Alternative substrates for the amylase and cellulase production with rhizobial isolates

Abstract

In the present study sixty root nodule bacteria were isolated from Vigna radiate and Cicer arietinum. As we know that nutrients and growth conditions promote the yield of microbial enzymes. However, carbon sources such as dextrin, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose and starch are very expensive for commercial production of enzymes. These expensive products could be replaced in the medium with economically available agricultural by-products like corn flour, wheat flour, rice flour, sorghum and baggase as carbon substrate. The aim of this study was the production of amylases and cellulases from rhizobia using cheap carbon sources to reduce the production cost of enzymes .All isolates were screened for the amylase and cellulase production using starch and carboxy methyl cellulase (CMC) hydrolysis respectively .Isolates showing better screening results were further subjected for different starchy carbon substrates for CFU/ml at different time intervals and enzyme (amylase and cellulase) production. The results obtained in the study revealed that wheat flour yields the highest levels of amylase, and baggase promotes the highest amount of cellulase. Statistical analyses between cellulase and amylase data showed that there is a significant difference between their productions. Amount of cellulase (0.1513 u/ml) is significantly greater than that of amylase (0.0091u/ml).