Isolation and Screening of Cellulose Degrading Microbes from Nagpur Region Soil.

Cellulose is world’s most abundant organic substance and comprises a major storage form of glucose. Microbial cellulose utilization is responsible for one of the largest material flow in the biosphere therefore the aim of the study is to isolate cellulose degrading microbes from soil samples collected from different regions and to identify cellulose degrading microbes including bacteria and fungi. Two different types of cellulose-degrading bacteria and two types of cellulose degrading fungi were isolated from six different soil samples for cellulose degradation. A total of two isolates each of Thermoactinomycetes spp. and Pseudomonas spp. were isolated as well as two isolates of Aspergillus spp. and one isolate of Penicillium spp. were also isolated. Clear zone around the colony was the indication of the cellulose degradation activity of the microorganisms.