Bioremediation technology for environmental protection through bioconversion of agro-industrial wastes

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the mushroom cultivation as one biotechnological process, which can convert the waste plant residues, rich in lignocellulosics into protein rich foods. Mushroom cultivation infact is the only microbial process or product system that can bioconvert all of the major plant polymers, such as lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. Utility of mushroom for bioconversion of wastes into useful fructification is well known, in addition to those for which production technology has been described in detail. Other mushrooms have also been cultivated, but their commercial cultivation is limited only to a few, which are relished by people. Most of these possess good cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic systems, and a few like Agaricus, Pleurotus, and Lentinus are also strongly lignolytic. This bioconversion is achieved through extracellular enzyme production. Detailed studies on enzyme production are needed. Strain improvement has been done, but further improvement will probably depend upon DNA technology and the use of protoplasts, combined with incorporation of novel genetic material into suitable commercial strains of mushrooms.