Evaluation of Fungal Assisted Wet-storage of Energycane Bagasse

Wet-storage in combination with fungal pretreatment was applied to energycane (non-commercial variety L79-1002) bagasse.  White rot fungi Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (ATCC 96608) was added to the bagasse and incubated at 28°C with a maintained moisture content of 75%. Subsamples were taken at different time points for analysis of pH, dry matter loss, chemical composition, and enzymatic hydrolysis. Cellic CTec2, a cellulase complex, and Cellic HTec2, an endoxylanase, were used in combination during enzymatic hydrolysis. C. subvermispora was successful in degrading the lignin by 37.4% and by preserving almost 90% of the glucan after a 60-day wet-storage.  Cellulose and hemicellulose digestibilities were 60.7% and 27.1% as compared to 37.9% and 20.1% for untreated bagasse, respectively.