Cellulase and hemicellulase Activity under Submerged Fermentation of Rice Mill feed by Fungi

Several agro-industrial by products are utilized in the synthesis of enzymes and production of other value-added products. This experiment was designed to access the cellulase and hemicellulase enzyme activity of three fungi (Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma viride and Rhizopus oryzae) in mono and mixed culture submerged fermentation using rice mill feed as substrate. The cellulase enzyme complex (cellulase (carboxy methyl cellulase, filter paper activity, β-glucosidase activity) and hemicellulase (β-xylanase and β-xylosidase) were determined respectively. Carboxy methyl cellulase activity was significantly improved by a mixed culture of all three fungi (4.90U/ml) and a mixed culture of Trichoderma viride and Rhizopus oryzae (4.83U/ml). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in concentration of carboxy methyl cellulase synthesized in mono culture submerged fermentation of rice mill feed but numerically high values were recorded with Trichoderma viride and Rhizopus oryzae. The activity of β-glucosidase was significantly (p<0.05) high (4.79U/ml) in mixed culture of the three fungi. Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus oryzae also yielded significantly (p<0.05) high β-glucosidase activity of 3.00U/ml and 2.13U/ml respectively. The activity of β-xylanase was significantly (p<0.05) enhanced (3.77U/ml) with a mixed culture of all three fungi. Mono culture submerged fermentation resulted in significant (p<0.05) β-xylanase activity with Aspergillus niger (1.83U/ml) and Rhizopus oryzae (1.75U/ml) over Trichoderma viride (1.26U/ml). The fungi utilized in this study were able to produce cellulase and hemicellulase enzyme from rice mill feed in mono and mixed fungi fermentation. The enzyme activity of carboxy methyl cellulase, β-glucosidase and β-xylanase was noticeable.