Student Ready Project Formulation, Execution and Presentation Isolation and Characterizaiton of Pectinase Producing microorganism from Agricultural Waste

Abstract

Pectinases are a group of enzymes that catalyze the breakdown of pectin, a complex polysaccharide found in plant cell walls. These enzymes find extensive applications m various mdustries. mcluding food processing, textile, paper, and biofuel production. The atm of this study was to produce and characterize pectinase enzyme from agricullural waste, focusing on its potential as an ceo-friendly and cost-effective alternative for industrial applications. The production of pectinase involved the isolation and identification of potential microbial strams capable of producing the enzyme. Different agricultural wastes, such as fruit peels, vegetable scraps, and crop residues, were used as substtates for microbial growth and enzyme production. The selection of appropriate strains and optimization of growth conditions, including pH, temperature, and nutrient composition, were crucial for maximizing enzyme production Once the pectinase enzyme was produced, its characterization was carried out to determine its efficiency and suitability for various applications. Furthermore, the pectinase enzyme displayed spectficny towards pectin-rich substrates. showing its potential for applications in fruit JUice clarification, fruit and vegetable processing. and biofuel production Its ability to break down pectinaceous compounds efficiently and selectiely offers nwncrous advantages over conventional chemical methods, such as increased product yield, reduced processing tune, nod improved product quality. The results demonstrated successful production of pectina~c enzyme from agricultural wa,te using selected microbial strains. The enzyme exhibited >~gmficant acti\ity. with optimal conditions identified at a pH tangc of 5.5 to 7.0 and a temperature ranr,e of 40 to so•c Keywords Pectinase, Pectin, Mtcroorganism. Soil. Isolation, Agriculture waste.