LALBIAKTLUANGA P.S. AND LALFAKZUALA R.
Abstract
Lignocellulolytic fungi play a crucial role in the decomposition of plant biomass and are valuable resources for various biotechnological applications. The present study aimed to isolate, screen, and molecularly characterize cellulolytic fungi associated with bamboo litter collected from two sites in Mizoram, Northeast India. A total of 45 fungal isolates were recovered, comprising 20 isolates from Mizoram University (MZU) campus and 25 isolates from Tuirial. Preliminary screening on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) agar medium revealed that nine isolates exhibited cellulolytic activity, as evidenced by the formation of clear hydrolysis zones following Congo red staining. These cellulolytic isolates were subjected to detailed morphological and molecular characterization. Morphological examination revealed considerable variation in colony colour, texture, growth pattern, pigment production, and microscopic features. Molecular identification based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA sequencing and sequence homology analysis identified the isolates as Penicillium vanluykii, Mucor atramentarius, Mucor lusitanicus, Mucor circinelloides, Aspergillus foetidus, Trichoderma atrobrunneum, Penicillium funiculosum, Fusarium verticillioides, and Talaromyces verruculosus. Phylogenetic analysis further confirmed the taxonomic placement of the isolates within their respective genera. The findings demonstrate that bamboo litter ecosystems harbor diverse cellulolytic fungal communities with potential applications in lignocellulosic biomass degradation and other biotechnological processes. This study provides baseline information on cellulolytic fungal diversity in bamboo-associated habitats of Northeast India and highlights their potential significance in biomass conversion and sustainable bioresource utilization.