Selection of Microbial Community with High Cellulose-Degradation Ability and its Characteristics

A microbial community with high cellulose-degradation ability was selected from four different samples of soil by the techniques of restricted cultivation. The effect of different conditions on the cellulose degrading capability of the microbial system was investigated with filter saccharogenic power. Two peaks appeared on the growth curve and the second crest was visualized at the seventh day after inoculation when the highest cellulase activity was investigated. The cellulose degrading capacity of the community was much higher with corn stover as carbon source than with filter paper and the former cellulase activity was 1.5 times higher than the latter. The optimum temperature for degrading cellulose was 45degC, while the cellulase activity also was at high level when the temperature was keep at 35degC~45degC. The optimum pH for microbial community was 6.0.