Potential of thermophilic fungi for cellulolytic and lignolytic enzyme production from paddy straw

The potential of thermophilic fungal isolates was investigated by determining the cellulolytic and lignolytic enzyme production after 6 days of incubation at 50±2ºC using paddy straw as a substrate. Maximum cellulolytic enzyme production was found in Penicillium sp. 2 (15.64 U/g FPase, 24.82 U/g CMCase and 78.49 U/g cellobiase), whereas, minimum was found in Asperillus sp 1. Maximum lignolytic enzyme production showed by Phanerochaete sp. (614.11 U/g laccase, 489.18 U/g lignin peroxidase and 521.41 U/g manganese peroxidase) whereas minimum was found in Penicillium sp. 2. Thus, Phanerochaete sp. was found to be the best lignolytic isolate followed by Paecilomyces sp., Aspergillus sp. 2 and Aspergillus sp. 1. These isolates showed minimum cellulolytic activities and thus have the potential for increasing paddy straw digestibility without degrading cellulose.