Bioconversion of Wheat Straw with Cellu-Lolytic Moulds in Submerged Culture Fermentation

Wheat straw untreated (T₀) and treated with 4 per cent NaOH + ½ h steaming (T₁), 4 per cent NaOH + 1 h steaming (T₂), 4 per cent Ca(OH)_a + ½ h steamiig (T₃) and 6 per cent NH₃ for 30 d and subsequent drying at 60°C (T₄) were fermented with the cellulolytic mould cultures of Aspergillus terreus A₁, Eupenicillium sp. B₄ and Aspergillus niger F₁ using submerged conditions. The activity of different cultures on wheat straw in terms of pH change, nitrate N utilization and changes in CP content was more with T₂ followed by T₁, T₃, T₄ and T₀. In contrast, the cellulose activity and DM recovery on different straw substrates showed a reverse trend. A combination of 4 per cent NaOH treatment + 1 h. steaming with A. terreus A₁ gave maximum increase in CP (19.86 per cent) in submerged fermentation under laboratory conditions.