Efficacy of Laccases Obtained from the White Rot Basidiomycete \u3cem\u3eSchizophyllum commune\u3c/em\u3e-NI 07 in Enhancing the \u3cem\u3ein Vitro\u3c/em\u3e Digestibility of Crop Residues for Ruminants

Abstract

Crop residues like maize stover, finger millet straw, wheat straw, rice straw, etc. generally constitute the main dietary component for animals. The rumen microbial utilization of these crop residues is hindered by the presence of lignin, which limits its overall digestion process and can significantly influence animal performance, because it is resistant to most of the enzymatic hydrolysis by microorganisms. In nature lignin is degraded by lignolytic enzymes of white rot fungi (WRF). These residues can thus be converted into high quality feed by means of fungal delignification improving their nutritive value. Fungal ligninolysis breaks down the cellulose-hemicellulose matrix liberating degradable components utilizable by rumen microflora. Earlier we reported on the enhancement in digestibility of ragi straw with lignolytic enzyme extracts. Laccase is one amongst these lignolytic enzymes holding immense potential in biodelignification of crop residues (Sridhar et al., 2014). However, its low level in the native state limits its practical use in the degradation of lingo cellulosics for ruminants necessitating the need for enhancing production. In the current work we report the efficacy of laccases isolated from Schizophyllum commune, in enhancing in vitro digestibility of some commonly used crop residues for ruminants