Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ISOLATION, SCREENING AND IDENTIFICATION OF CELLULOSE PRODUCING BACTERIA FROM ROTTEN FRUITS

N.C. Tharavathy and M.H. Attiya Ilham

Abstract

Studies were conducted on the isolation of cellulose producing bacteria from rotten fruits. The isolates were identified as Pseudomonas sp., and Gluconacetobacter sp. The yield of cellulose with respect to each organism indicates that the highest yield was achieved from Gluconacetobacter sp. than Pseudomonas sp. under optimum conditions of growth. The highest yield was achieved from the isolate Gluconacetobacter sp. in optimized medium. It is also found that the cellulose production not only depends on species but also depends on media ingredients and culture cultivation conditions to achieve highest production. Among the genera Gluconacetobacter and Pseudomonas, Gluconacetobacter genus stands out due to its ability to synthesize and extrude copious amounts of cellulose.