Harnessing agricultural waste: A sustainable approach to lignocellulolytic enzymes production

Abstract

The production of lignocellulolytic enzymes from agricultural waste offers a sustainable and cost-effective approach. These enzymes, including cellulases, hemicellulases, and ligninases, decompose plant biomass into basic components. This review explores agricultural waste as a substrate, highlighting its abundance and potential for converting waste into resources. Various microorganisms, like fungi and bacteria, are evaluated for enzyme production adaptability. Different production processes, such as solid-state fermentation and submerged fermentation, are compared for efficiency and scalability. Pretreatment dismantles the raw material's structure, enhancing product yield despite increased energy consumption. Optimization strategies, including culture conditions and genetic engineering, improve enzyme production. Challenges in enzyme production from agricultural waste are addressed, with proposed solutions. The review also discusses diverse applications of lignocellulolytic enzymes, from biofuels to textiles, emphasizing environmental and economic benefits. It emphasizes agricultural waste's promise as a substrate for enzyme production, offering opportunities for sustainability and economic viability, and highlights future research directions.