Abstract

Cellulase enzyme and glucose are important industrial bioproducts which can be obtained from cheap agrowastes. The aim of the present study was to select optimum Trichoderma species for cellulase activity and production of glucose from wheat crust. Three different strains of this fungus i. e. T. koningi 5139, T. longibrachiatum 5140 and T. reesei 5142 were selected. The conditions were optimized by using wheat crust and culturing Trichoderma species with solid state fermentation method. Different incubation times (3–8 days), temperatures (26, 28, 30, 32 and 34°C) and pHs (3.0–9.0) were experimented for the production of cellulase and glucose. Cellulase activity, glucose and protein were measured using standard filter paper activity, enzymatic and Lowry methods in raw enzymatic solution of the cultures, respectively. Cellulase activity and produced glucose were higher in T. reesei compared with two other strains in the same condition (P<0.05). Our results demonstrated that T. reesei was the optimum strain. Also, best culture conditions were 96 h of incubation at 30°C and pH 6.0 for giving highest cellulase activity and produced glucose.