Production and Effect of Some Factors on α-Amylase Secretion by Rhizopus microsporus Isolated from Coconut Meat Waste and Trichoderma Viride from Soil of Cassava Dumpsite

The amylolytic fungal strains Rhizopus microsporus and Trichoderma viride with high α-amylase activity were isolated from coconut meat waste and soil from cassava dumpsite respectively. Some factors that affect the secretion of the enzyme were optimized. Optimum amylase production from R. microsporus and T. viride were obtained at pH 7 and 9 at 50OC and 60OC respectively. Five different agro wastes (corn starch, potato starch, rice bran powder, cassava peel powder, wheat husk powder) used as substrates for alternative source of carbon revealed cassava peel to be the best substrate for alpha amylase production from both fungal isolates. Among the different nitrogen sources supplanted in the culture media, yeast extract yielded maximum activity and production of α-amylase considerably. The optimum activity and growth rate of alpha amylase produced by R. microsporus reached its peak at 40 h and 60 h of incubation respectively while T. viride showed optimum activity at 50 h and optimum growth rate at 70 h.