Agave atrovirens fibers as substrate and support for solid-state fermentation for cellulase production by Trichoderma asperellum

Abstract

Many efforts have been made to produce cellulase with better features and conditions, and filamentous fungi have played an important role in the bioprocess, growing in liquid and solid cultures with sugarcane bagasse, corn stover and others lignocellulosic materials. In the present study, Agave atrovirens fibers were partially characterized, thermal pretreated and used as support, substrate and inducer source for cellulolytic complex production by four strains of the genus Trichoderma, where T. asperellum was selected as the best option for this process after evaluating the enzyme activity and the invasion capacity on the pretreated Agave fibers. Fungi were able to grow on the Agave fibers secreting the complex cellulolytic enzyme. Results show Agave fibers as a good carbon source and support for T. asperellum for the production of the cellulolytic complex (endoglucanase 12,860.8 U/g; exoglucanase 3144.4 U/g; and β-glucosidase 384.4 U/g). These results show the promising potential this material could have in the production of the active enzyme cellulase complex.