Development and evaluation of a disposable solid-state culture packed-bed bioreactor for the production of conidia from Trichoderma asperellum grown under water stress

A new prototype of a disposable solid-state culture bioreactor (DSSCB) belonging to the packed-bed category is developed for the production of fungal conidia. The bioreactor has the advantages of being autoclavable, lightweight and disposable. With a working volume of 39.52 L, it can be used for large-scale production of fungal conidia. The DSSCB was successfully tested under forced aeration for the production of conidia (2.1 x 10(10)/g dry substrate in 140 h) from Trichoderma asperellum, a biocontrol fungus. A mixture of sugarcane bagasse, wheat bran, olive pomace, potato flakes and vine shoots was used as substrate. The DSSCB allowed an overall production of 1.26 x 10(14) conidia. Based on its configuration, the fermented substrate can be easily transported and used in either solid or liquid form, for biocontrol application. This is a significant advance in the field of biomass production in solid-state culture as problems associated with the decontamination of the bioreactor prior to its reuse can be avoided. The study demonstrated that the DSSCB is suitable for the production of conidia using T. asperellum. [GRAPHICS]