Abstract
Hemicellulose degrading enzymes play an important role in bioconversion of lignocellulosic and agro-industrial wastes. In this study, production of hemicellulase by six fungal isolates was determined under submerged culture using corn cobs xylan as a carbon source and enzyme inducer at different incubation periods. The results indicated that Alternaria tenuis showed the lowest enzyme productivity (156.95 +/- 2.07U/l) while the highest enzyme production (2,594.44 +/- 62.25 U/l) was obtained by Fusarium moniliforme. One-factor-at-a-time revealed maximum enzyme productivity of 10,950.11 +/- 98.45 U/l at corn cobs xylan (6 g/l), yeast extract (4 g/l), inorganic salts (1.5 g/l KH2PO4, 1.0 g/l MgSO4.7H(2)O, 0.2 g/l CaCl2, 0.4 g/l FeSO4.7H(2)O, and 0.3 g/l MnSO4.5H(2)O), initial pH (5), initial inoculum size (4%), 150 rpm, and temperature (30 degrees C) in a submerged fermentation process.