Development of a potential lignocellulolytic resource for rapid bioconversion of rice straw

This study was conducted at the Laboratory of Food Crops and Floriculture, Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia to characterize the potential lignocellulolytic bacteria for rapid bio-bioconversion of rice straw. Fifty isolates of bacteria were isolated from several in-situ and in-vitro sources. Isolates B3, B13, B21, B37 and B46 showed the highest enzymatic activities to starch, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and Azure B amended media. They were further screened on rice straw powder (RSP) amended media for their adaptability on rice straw (RST). The isolate B37 obtained from thermophilic phase of in vitro composting of rice straw and showing the optimum lignocellulolytic activity and adaptation to RSP amended media was identified as Bacillus pumilis.Key words: Rice straw, lignocellulose, microbial degradation, Bacillus pumilis