Screening Factors Influencing Chitinase Production By Trichoderma Virens Using Two Level Factorial Design

A study was conducted to screen parameters affecting the production of chitinase by Trichoderma virens on solid state fermentation of shrimp waste using the application of 2-level factorial design. The variables having most significant effect on chitinase production of shrimp waste were identified using a 2-level factorial design. The variable that were included in the screening experiment and their settings are incubation time, temperature, moisture substrate, pH, inoculum size and concentration ammonium sulphate. Half factorial experimental design for six variables was selected with six replicates at center point, leading to a total 38 experiments. All data obtained were then used as input to the Design Expert software for further analysis, according to steps outline. ANOVA analysis showed that the models were significant (p < 0.0001) for chitinase production. Incubation, temperature and moisture substrate were identified as significant factor affecting chitinase production on solid state fermentation. Statistical analysis revealed that the linear model is significant with R-2 value of 0.9448 for chitinase production. Chitinase production was found to be high at the optimal condition were: moisture substrate 50%, temperature 25 degrees C and incubation 5 days. The obtained optimal process parameters predicted, Y=0.265 U/g and verified by confirmation experiments, Y=0.261 U/g. The actual experimental results were in agreement with the prediction. This statistical design proved to locate the optimum levels of the most significant parameters for chitinase production, with minimum effort and time