Bio-delignification ability of locally available edible mushrooms for the biological treatment of crop residues

191-196The crop residues, such as, paddy straw, have low digestibility and, therefore, efforts have been made in the present study for microbial and enzymatic delignification of crude fiber to improve its nutritive value before feeding to animals. Two types of edible mushrooms were collected from the market and screened qualitatively for their ability to produce ligninases through guaiacol assay. The oyster mushroom showed maximum lignolytic activity and, thus, it was used in the study for the treatment of paddy straw. After sequencing of the mushroom culture used, it was identified as Schizophyllum commune. The cellulolytic activity and lignolytic activity of S. commune was assayed. The organism showed high cellulolytic as well as lignolytic activity at 25-30°C temperature and at neutral pH. As low cellulolytic and higher lignolytic activities are desirable for successful biodelignification of straw, different chemicals at various concentrations were used to suppress the cellulolytic activity. Of all the chemicals used, veratryl alcohol at 30 mM concentration was able to suppress the cellulolytic enzyme activity by 90%, while enhancing the lignolytic activity of the organism by 50-60%. Therefore, on the basis of present study, S. commune could be recommended for delignification of crop residues with the addition of appropriate quantity of veratryl alcohol