P99: Rapid Extraction Process of Natural Fiber by Combination of Microorganisms

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) fiber, which is one of typical natural fibers, is being extracted through microbial degradation process in ponds or rivers. The process is well known as water retting. The retting process to extract Kenaf fiber usually requires three weeks and more depending weather condition. The shortening of the retting process time is indispensable for the increase in Kenaf fiber production leading to the reduction of fossil resources. We attain the shortening by choosing and combining the optimal wild-type bacterial strains. The strains have been screened on the basis of the degradation performance for pectin surrounding bast fiber bundles, which is a unique tissue of Kenaf. Two of Enterobacter sp. and one of Klebsiella sp. have been selected. The combination of them realizes 1-week-retting-process although it takes 2 weeks and more to complete the retting process using each of them with different pectinolytic abilities. Moreover, we have generated some useful mutant strains with higher pectinolytic abilities and about 2 to 10 times faster growth rate than wild-type ones. The mutant strains are presumably expected to reduce the retting process time even more.