ABSTRACT

Agro Waste materials like corn cobs, banana peels, orange peels, and pineapple are underutilized sources of energy that might be used to produce cellulase. The purpose of this study was to use mesophillic fungi to bioconvert agricultural waste to cellulase. The mesophillic organism of interest was discovered in an agro waste dump site in Benin City . It was then plated using the pour plate method, and its identification was based on colonial and sugar fermentation traits. The highest producer was chosen for further analysis after purified isolates were tested for their ability to make cellulase.Each waste medium was inoculated with the highest producing organism (Aspergillus niger), which was then cultured at 28 °c for 10 days. In a two-day interval, the pH, viable cell count, and cellulase concentration were all measured. Viable cell count was carried out by plating samples on potato dextrose agar (PDA) using pour plate technique and enumerating the visible colonies after 48 hours incubation period. Cellulase concerntration was determined using 3,5 dinitrosalicyclic acid method (DNS method), analysing spectrophotometrically at an absorbance of 540 nm. The optimum pH production day was on day 8, with corncob performing best with a pH of 5.95±0.70 . On day 6 the highest counts were recorded for cellulase concentration and with corn cob medium recording the highest of 1.509±0.564g/l. The same was true for the peak viable cell count production, which was on day 6, with corncob recording 1.05±0.071 cfu/ml as the highest.While the least obtained for viable cell count was pineapple waste medium at day 8, with a cell count of 0.415±0.120 cfu/ml. The least pH production day was on day 8,with orange medium recording a pH of 5.0±0.00 . The least counts for cellulase production was taken on day 6, with orange having a record of 0.316±0.008cfu/ml .The results of this study indicate that Aspergillus niger  can produce the most cellulase when grown on corncob. So, by appreciating agricultural waste, specifically into cellulase, it is possible to preserve the contrary nature of agricultural waste in the ecosystem.