Optimization of concomitant production of cellulase and xylanase from Rhizopus oryzae SN5 through EVOP-factorial design technique and application in Sorghum Stover based bioethanol production

• An efficient cellulase and xylanase producing strain was isolated from biomass compost.
• Concomitant production of cellulase and xylanase in SSF was optimized by EVOP- factorial design.
• Maximum cellulase and xylanase activities were 437.54 U/gds and 273.83 U/gds, respectively.
• After enzymatic saccharification the Sorghum Stover (SS) yielded 0.407 g/g reducing sugar.
• The ethanol yield has been achieved 0.411 g/g through this process.

Current study deals with the production of cellulases and xylanases from the Rhizopus oryzae SN5 isolated from composed soil of Himalayan pine forest, in order to meet the challenges of lignocellulosic biomass based biorefineries. Culture parameters for concomitant production of cellulase and xylanase were optimized through EVOP-factorial design technique under solid state fermentation. And maximum yield of cellulase and xylanase were obtained 437.54 U/gds and 273.83 U/gds, respectively at 30 °C and pH 6.0 after 5 days of incubation. On applying these enzymes for the saccharification of the dilute acid pretreated Sorghum Stover (SS), 0.407 g/g sugar was yielded. This hydrolysate on fermentation, yielded 0.411 g/g ehanol with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (NCIM 3288), which could be considered a good conversion. Therefore, Rhizopus oryzae SN5 was found as potent strain for the production of the cocktail of lignocellulosic biomasss hydrolytic enzymes and would be promising tool in the area of lignocellulose based bio-refineries.