Production and Purification of Cellulase from Aspergillus nidulans AJSU04 under Solid-state Fermentation using Coir Pith

S. Anuradha Jabasingh, S. Varma and P. Garre

Abstract
The present study deals with the production of cellulase from coir pith accumulated as waste with the aid of Aspergillus nidulans AJSU04 and the subsequent conversion of the residual coir pith into suitable biofertilizer for the increased yield of Solanum lycopersicum. Alkaline pretreatment using NaOH is used to delignify the feed stock material (coir pith). The experiments were carried out under solid state conditions employing coir pith with 60 % moisture content, pH 5, temperature of 40 °C for 11 days. The extract drawn was purified using ammonium sulphate salt precipitation, dialysis, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. Aspergillus nidulans AJSU04 was seen to exhibit endo-β-1,4-glucanase, exo-β-1,4-glucanase and 1,4-β-glucosidase components of cellulase. The residual coir pith was converted into biofertilizer or coir pith waste compost (CWC) using Azobacter chroococcum, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus mucilaginosus

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Keywords
Aspergillus nidulans AJSU04, cellulase, solid-state fermentation, coir pith, biofertilizer