Screening of Naturally Occurring Fungi for Lipase Production using Selected Agricultural Waste Products
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Date
2025-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Dutse Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences (DUJOPAS
Abstract
The growing industrial demand for new sources of lipases with varying catalytic properties has
prompted the isolation and selection of novel microbial strains. This study focused on isolating and
screening fungi that produce lipase using selected agricultural waste products. The farm waste
materials which include; wheat bran, rice husks, corn meal, and sugarcane bagasse, were collected
aseptically from selected markets. They were sun-dried for 72 hours and pulverized. Naturally
occurring fungi were obtained using the solid-state fermentation method. Isolation and identification
of the fungi were performed using the dilution plate method and characterization respectively. Lipase
production was screened using a medium containing a phenol red indicator. Five fungal isolates were
obtained from wheat bran, two from rice husks, two from corn meal, and one from sugarcane bagasse.
Out of these, four fungal isolates tested positive for lipase production, while one tested negative. From
wheat bran the highest zone of colouration was observed in Aspergillus niger with 41.00±2.65,
Aspergillus flavus with 34.00±12.29, Rhizopus stolonifer with 29.00±5.29, Geotrichum species with
24.33±7.09 and Fusarium species with 0.00±0.00. In rice husk, the highest zone of colouration was
observed in Rhizopus stolonifera with 85.00±0.00 Aspergillus niger with 83.67±1.53, in corn meal the
highest zone of colouration was observed in Aspergillus flavus with 85.00±0.00, Rhizopus stolonifer
with 42.34±16.19. In sugar cane bagasse, the highest zone of colouration was observed in Rhizopus
stolonifer with 85.00±0.00. It can be concluded that wheat bran, rice husk, corn meal, and sugarcane
bagasse are potential substrates for lipase production using naturally occurring fungi.