CELLULASE PRODUCTION BY TRICHODERMA REESEI AND ITS APPLICATION IN HYDROLYZING OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES

This study aimed to optimize cellulase production from Trichoderma reesei and apply it for the hydrolysis of oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB). The effects of substrate, pH, nutrient, incubation period, and temperature on cellulase production were investigated using the solid-state fermentation method. OPEFB hydrolysis involved varying enzyme loadings (5, 10, 15, and 20 U/g substrate). The results indicated that the highest CMCase activity (1.02±0.008 U/mL) was achieved under optimal conditions, which included using rice bran as the substrate at 30 °C, pH 6.5, without nutrient addition, and an incubation period of 6 days. In OPEFB hydrolysis, the highest concentration of reducing sugars, 2.395 mg/mL, was observed with a 10 U/g enzyme loading after 48 hours of hydrolysis. FTIR results revealed that the characteristic absorption band at 1205 cm-1, representing the C1-O-C4 glycosidic bond of cellulose, was not observed in the sample hydrolyzed at the 10 U/g enzyme loading. This suggests the capability of the enzyme to hydrolyze OPEFB.