PRODUCTION OF PECTINASE FROM BARLEY (Horedium vulgare Von.Bothmer) AND WHEAT (Triticum turgidum L.Var) HULLS

Pectinase is a heterogeneous group of enzyme which hydrolyzes pectin. Fungi and actinomycetes have ability to produce a large amount of industrial enzymes. Therefore the present study was undertaken production of pectinolytic enzymes from barley (Hordeum vulgare Von. Bothmer) and wheat (Triticum turgidum L.Von) locally called (Garbu or Qamadi) hulls. Wheat and Barley Hulls samples were collected from homes. Isolation of the fungal species was done on czapek-dox-agar media. Fungal isolates were identified based on their gross morphology such as colony growth pattern and pigmentation. Optimization of the enzyme activity was carried out based on incubation time, temperature, pH, nitrogen sources and substrete concentration. Potential pectinase producing fungal with the higest hydrolysis subjected to submerged-fermentation. The result indicated that macro and microscopic structures of the pectinolytic fungal isolates from wheat and barley hulls demonstrate that the pectinase producing fungal isolates belonging to four genera: Saccharomyces sp, Scedosporium sp, Candida sp and Aspergillus sp. The highest enzyme activity index was recorded by Candida sp (2.02), Saccharomyces sp2 (1.90), followed by Scedosporium sp (1.85). The optimum pectinase activity for Saccharomyces sp2 and Aspergillus sp2 were between pH 6.5 to 8.5. However, the optimum pectinase activity for Candida sp was between pH 7.5 to 9.5. Saccharomyces sp2 has recorded the maximum pectinase activity (64.50U/min), followed by Candida sp with enzyme activity (61.23U/min) and the least enzyme activity (44.94U/min) for Aspergillus sp2. The maximum enzyme activity (80.79U/min) was recorded for Saccharomyces sp2 during 48h incubation time. In a similar manner, the maximum enzyme activity (78.90U/min) was also recorded for Candida sp during 48h incubation time. However, the maximum enzyme activity (80.28U/min) was recorded for Aspergillus sp2 during 72h incubation period. From the result of the effect of nitrogen source, Saccharomyces sp2 presented the highest pectinase activity (68.21U/min) with peptone, followed by enzyme activity (60.28U/min) with casein, and the least enzyme activity (26.58U/min) with ammonium sulphate. However, Candida sp isolate has recorded the maximum pectinase activity (54.25U/min) with ammonium sulphate, followed by enzyme activity (49.59U/min) for peptone, and the minimum enzyme activity (44.68U/min) with casein substrate. Similarly, Aspergillus sp2 has presented the highest pectinase activity (76.05U/min) with ammonium sulphate, followed by enzyme activity (36.14U/min) with peptone, and the least enzyme activity (33.30U/min) with casein substrate. It can be concluded from the result of the present study Saccharomyces sp2 followed by Candida and Aspergillus sp can be recommended for pectinase production