Cellulose degradation in rye straw by micromycetes and their complexes

The ability of micromycetes Galactomyces geotrichum, Myrothecium verrucaria, Sporotrichum pruinosum, Chaetomium globosum, Mortierella verticillata, Verticillium fungicola, Mortierella humilis as well as their complexes Galactomyces geotrichum-Myrothecium verrucaria, Galactomyces geotrichum-Sporotrichum pruinosum, Sporotrichum pruinosum-Myrothecium verrucaria, Chaetomium globosum-Mortierella verticillata and Verticillium fungicola-Mortierella humilis to degrade cellulose in plant remnants during 30 and 60 days of cultivation was investigated. Cellulose degradation in plant remnants was found to depend on the duration of micromycete growth. The lowest cellulose levels after 60 days were detected after cultivation of Galactomyces geotrichum (5.48%) and Myrothecium verrucaria (12.34%) (8.12 and 3.6 times in comparison with control). As regards micromycete complexes, cellulose content was lowered most significantly by Galactomyces geotrichum-Sporotrichum pruinosum (9.92%) and Sporotrichum pruinosum-Myrothecium verrucaria (10.02%), i. e. 4.5 and 4.4 times versus control.