Isolation of cellulolytic microorganism from food waste-fertilized soil

Uncontrolled disposal of waste from cellulosic materials can add burden to the existing environmental crises. The aim of the study is to isolate microorganisms from food waste-fertilized soil and identification of the microorganism species by genotyping. Soil samples enriched with fruits, rice and vegetables wastes were collected, diluted and spread on agar supplemented with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) for induction of growth and cellulase production. Following screening of cellulolytic activity, isolates with significant cellulolytic index (CI) were chosen for molecular identification by PCR, using the 16S rRNA as target sequence in combination with in silico analysis. Four out of eleven microorganisms isolated from fruits and vegetable-rich soils produced a CI ranging from 0.43 to 2.00. Of these, only two isolates produced clear bands on PCR with approximately 1500 bp in size. In silico analysis of the isolates suggested species of Ochrobactrum sp. and Bacillus sp. These microorganisms have the potential to be used for decomposition of the cellulosic wastes.