Application of baby corn husk as a biological sustainable feedstock for the production of cellulase and xylanase by Lentinus squarrosulus Mont.

Abstract

In an effort to use baby corn husk (BCH) as a sustainable feedstock for cellulase and xylanase production by the Lentinus squarrosulus Mont. isolate LS-YA (LSM-LS-YA), a suitable pretreatment method and fermentation strategies were developed. BCH pretreated with 1 M sodium hydroxide for 90 min, an alkaline pretreatment, exemplified an appropriate pretreatment method. In a 10-L external Venturi injector bioreactor, the highest cellulase and xylanase production was 4.12 ± 0.36 unit/mL and 6.15 ± 0.36 unit/mL, respectively, when 1 g/L diammonium hydrogen phosphate was used as the nitrogen source and the aeration rate was controlled at 0.2 vvm. This study provides an informative perspective on the production of cellulase and xylanase from agricultural lignocellulosic materials, which could reduce agricultural waste while supporting a zero-waste circular economy, and this fermentation process would be applicable to larger-scale production.