Solid substrate fermentation of leached beet pulp withTrichoderma aureoviride.

Optimum production of cellulases on leached beet pulp by native and mutant strains ofTrichoderma aureoviride in column-type, solid-substrate fermenters, at controlled temperature and aeration rate, was with a mutant strain, that produced 11 and 29 filter paper units of activity/g solids on raw and acid pre-treated leached beet pulp, respectively. The former value was 40% higher than in the native strain and 70% higher than in the reference strain. protein enrichment of residual solid was significant in all cases, with values up to 40% of total dry weight. Results are suitable for scale-up to pilot level.