Accordingly, thirty-two fungal pure cultures were obtained from surface soil-biomass mixtures collected from Black Belt sites in Alabama by culturing on lignocellulosic biomass medium. A cocktail of cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes are required for optimal saccharification of biomass. Enzymes used in saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass is a major part of biofuel production costs. Plant biomass is an abundant renewable natural resource that can be transformed into chemical feedstocks. A bioreactor system was designed and constructed to employ laboratory results for scale up of biomass more » saccharification. Whole culture broth and filtered culture broth simultaneous saccahrifcation and fermentation were compared. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation with and without pre-saccharifcation was studied. Co-production of amylolytic enzymes with celluloytic-xylanolytic enzymes was evaluated and co-saccharification of a combination of biomass, and starch-rich materials was examined. Methods of biomass pretreatment were compared. Factors affecting enzyme production and biomass saccharification were examined and optimized in the laboratory. Selected microorganisms were characterized by DNA based methods. Yeast isolates were evaluated for xylose fermentation.

A wide-scale sampling of locally-grown fruits in Central Alabama was embarked to isolate potential xylose fermenting microorganisms.

Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of culture parameters on key biomass saccharifying enzymes (cellulase, beta-glucosidase, xylanase and beta-xylosidase). Mixtures of biomass and surface soil samples were collected from selected sites in Alabama black belt counties (Macon, Sumter, Choctaw, Dallas, Montgomery, Lowndes) and other areas within the state of Alabama. Experiments were conducted to select the most efficient microorganisms for conversion of plant fiber to sugars for fermentation to ethanol. Research was conducted to develop a farm and field deployable microbial bioreactor for bioethanol production from biomass.

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