SCREENING MICROBIAL STRAIN FOR IMPROVING THE NUTRITIONAL-VALUE OF WHEAT AND CORN STRAWS AS ANIMAL FEED

From 18 strains of cellulolytic microorganisms including bacteria and filamentous fungi, one strain of soft rot fungus identified as Chaetom ium cellulolyticum was screened with respect to stronger decomposition ability of cellulose and hemicellulose and its ability for protein sy nthesis. As it grew on raw corn straw in solid layer fermentation (SLF ) for 5 days, the amino acid content in the fermentation product attai ned 19.29% (w/w) from 6.43% while the total cell wall was reduced by 5 4%. A toxicity test with mice showed that the fermentation product is not poisonous. The two filamentous fungi, Trichoderma pseudokoningii S -38 and Penicillium decumbens JU-A10 produced large amounts of extrace llular cellulase and hemicellulase in the SLF process, but their growt h was limited and they sporulated profusely with regard to their value as animal feed products. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc.