Enhanced production of α-amylase by Penicillium chrysogenum in liquid culture by modifying the process parameters

• Fungus Penicillium chrysogenum was isolated from the soil and the α-amylase production from it by the fermentation process was studied.
• Findings have revealed that, at pH 6 using linseed oil cake as substratum, α-amylase enzyme production was maximum.
• Statistical analysis of α-amylase enzyme production revealed that incubation period of 6–18 days was highly significant (p = 0.01).
• Pencillium chrysogenum can be economically a viable option for the industrial and biotechnological production of α-amylase.

In this paper, we have assessed the role of changing physicochemical parameters and substrate types on the production of α-amylase enzyme from Penicillium chrysogenum, with a view to determining the optimal conditions required for its maximum production. The findings of this research revealed that, at pH 6 using linseed oil cake as substratum, α-amylase enzyme production was maximum (550.0 U/mL), when the fungi was incubated for 6 days at 30 °C in 0.1 M acetate buffer. Further, reasonably good production of the α-amylase enzyme was also observed at pH 9 with all the experimented carbon sources as substrates. Moreover, statistical analysis, using analysis of variance (ANOVA) carried out to study the impact of different studied parameters on the α-amylase enzyme production revealed that incubation period of 6–18 days is highly significant (p = 0.01) factor in amylotic activity of the P. chrysogenum. Under the researched out optimal conditions, P. chrysogenum is an economically viable option for the industrial and biotechnological production of α-amylase enzyme.