Transformation of the water soluble fraction from "alpeorujo" by Coriolopsis rigida: the role of laccase in the process and its impact on Azospirillum brasiliense survival.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the ability of the white rot basidiomycete Coriolopsis rigida to detoxify the water soluble fraction from "alpeorujo" (WSFA), a solid by-product produced by the olive oil extraction industry and characterized by a high concentration of phenols which limits its use as fertilizer and/or amendment. C. rigida reduced the phenol content in the liquid media supplemented with WSFA at 10 and 20% (v/v) after 15d of incubation. The analysis of WSFA toxicity after fungal treatment showed that C. rigida was responsible for a significant increase in the survival rate of Azospirillum brasiliense, a N(2) fixing soil rhizobacterium which promotes plant growth. Supplementation of culture medium with CuSO(4) (300 microM) resulted in strong laccase induction thus facilitating higher phenol reduction and detoxification of WSFA. In vitro reactions using a crude extracellular preparation from laccase-active C. rigida showed phenol removal as well as detoxification of the WSFA at 20%. These results suggest that C. rigida reduces the phenol content of the WSFA through the effect of laccase on free phenolic compounds consequently decreasing the toxic effect on A. brasiliense, which suggests that the enzyme plays an important role in the process. These findings have implications in the management and revalorization of olive-mill residues treated with laccase-producing fungi and their potential impact on integrative agricultural systems including organic residues and the co-inoculation with microorganisms which can facilitate the growth of plants of agricultural interest.