LAUSR

The aim of this study was to enhance the production of xylano‐pectinolytic enzymes concurrently and also to reduce the fermentation period. In this study, the effect of agro‐residues extract‐based inoculum on yield and fermentation time of xylano‐pectinolytic enzymes was studied. Microbial inoculum and fermentation media were supplemented with xylan and pectin polysaccharides derived from agro‐based residues. Enzymes production parameters were optimized through two‐stage statistical design approach. Under optimized conditions (temperature 37°C, pH 7.2, K2HPO4 0.22%, MgSO4 0.1%, gram flour 5.6%, substrate: moisture ratio 1:2, inoculum size 20%, agro‐based crude xylan in production media 0.45%, and agro‐based crude xylan–pectin in inoculum 0.13%), nearly 28,255 ± 565 and 9,202 ± 193 IU of xylanase and pectinase, respectively, were obtained per gram of substrate in a time interval of 6 days only. The yield of both xylano‐pectinolytic enzymes was enhanced along with a reduction of nearly 24 h in fermentation time in comparison with control, using polysaccharides extracted from agro‐residues. The activity of different types of pectinase enzymes such as exo‐polymethylgalacturonase (exo‐PMG), endo‐PMG, exo‐polygalacturonase (exo‐PG), endo‐PG, pectin lyase, pectate lyase, and pectin esterase was obtained as 1,601, 12.13, 5637, 24.86, 118.62, 124.32, and 12.56 IU/g, respectively, and was nearly twofold higher than obtained for all seven types in control samples. This is the first report mentioning the methodology for enhanced production of xylano‐pectinolytic enzymes in short solid‐state fermentation cycle using agro‐residues extract‐based inoculum and production media.