Q-182. Isolation and Characterization of Fungal Strains for Bio-decomposition of Plant Wastes

L. Singh1,2;
1Delhi Univ., Delhi, INDIA, 2Thirdwave Biotech Pte. Ltd., Singapore, SINGAPORE.

Plant materials wastes, mainly plant bio-mass, such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are rather difficult to biodegrade in the environment. The scope of this study was to isolate fungal strains by using bait-specific technique and to characterize them, to provide biological information for their potential and application for decomposition. The fungal strains were isolated from an equal mixture (1:1, w/w) of soil and palm tree wood scrap, by incubating the mixture on 28 ± 1o C for five days, the appeared fungal mycelium were transferred onto the Potato Dextrose Medium (Himedia) and finally purified by streak-plate technique. The fungal strains Aspergillus sp. and Trichoderma sp. were characterized by their morphological and anatomical characteristics. The morphological characterization of each isolate was performed, including color, size, and colony characteristics (form, margin, and elevation). The cellulose digestion by fungal strains, was assed in semi-solid modified fungal medium consisted of: 5 g palm wood powder, 1.1 g KH2PO4, 0.1 g MgSO4, 0.1 g NH4C1, 0.04 g congo red and 15 g agar per liter at pH of 6.5. The decomposition was assed by measuring zone of clearance by strains during their growth in Petri plats. Both the strains were capable to decompose the cellulose at different extent and maximum (3.4 cm) and minimum (3.0 cm) zone of clearance were recorded by the strain Trichoderma sp. and Aspergillus sp., respectively. Further, study is going on for in vivo implementation of these microbes for the decomposition process in the environment. Keywords: Isolation, characterization, cellulose, decomposition and microbes.