Isolation, Purification and Screening of Cellulolytic Fungi from Mushroom Compost for Production of Enzyme (Cellulase)

In the present study compost samples of two mushrooms namely Buttton (Agaricus bisporus) and Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) were collected from Directorate of Mushroom Research (DMR) ,Chambaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. After screening cellulase producing fungi a total of 45 fungal isolates were isolated from compost samples, out of which 36 fungal isolates were purified and 23 isolates showed the cellulase activity. The isolates were identified as Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Rhizopus and Penicillium species. The optimum pH and temperature for growth and enzyme production were found to be 6.0 and 28°C respectively. The maximum fungal growth and enzyme production by Aspergillus spp. was obtained after 4 days of incubation period whereas Trichoderma, Penicillium and Rhizopus species exhibited maximum fungal growth and enzyme production after 5 days of incubation. Sucrose was found to be the best carbon source in Trichoderma spp. and Penicillium species at 1 percent concentration, whereas Glucose exhibited maximum enzyme activity in case of Rhizopus spp. and Aspergillus spp. at 1.5 percent and 1 percent concentration resspectively. One percent peptone proved to the best nitrogen source in case of Trichoderma spp. Yeast extract exhibited maximum enzyme activity in case of Rhizopus spp. at 1 percent concentration, whereas Beef extract at 1 and 1.5 percent concentration was found to be best nitrogen source in case of Aspergillus and Penicillium species respectively.