Effect of Supplementation of Wheat Straw on Growth and Lignocellulolytic Enzyme Potential of Lentinus edodes

Five organic supplements namely cotton seed meal (CSM), peanut meal (PM), wheat bran (WB), rice bran (RB) and soybean meal (SBM) were supplemented to the wheat straw @ 10% and 20% (on dry weight basis). Mycelial growth and enzyme activity of Lentinus edodes strain Le-S were recorded at periodic intervals of 10 d upto 30 d. Maximum mycelial extension rate was obtained with 10% rice bran supplementation and with 20% wheat bran supplementation. CSM and SBM were also found to improve the yield,while a slow growth was observed with PM. Activity of hemicellulases was higher than cellulases. Among the different cellulases; carboxy-methyl cellulases (CMCase) activity was the highest followed by cellobiase (Cbase) and filter paper (Fpase) activity. Similarly WB and CSM were found to improve the CMCase activity. Though RB was effective in stimulating Cbase activity at early stages but maximum activity was observed on CSM and SBM. Fpase activity was also better on SBM and RB supplementation. Supplementation with SBM resulted in maximum xylanase activity followed by WB and CSM that were at par. Laccase activity appeared at later stages (20-30 d after inoculation) and a very high activity was reported on unsupplemented and PM supplemented wheat straw.