Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

@article{197180,
        author = {Sakshi Dubey},
        title = {Isolation and Characterization of Xylanase-Producing Geotrichum candidum and Its Application in Bioethanol Production from Bajra (Pearl Millet)},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {11},
        pages = {5139-5150},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=197180},
        abstract = {The identification of robust enzyme-producing microorganisms remains a key step in improving lignocellulosic biomass conversion processes. In this study, xylanase-producing yeasts were isolated from multiple environmental sources including soil, compost, fruit waste, and sugarcane bagasse collected from Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. Among these, fruit waste and compost samples showed comparatively higher yeast abundance, suggesting that carbohydrate-rich microenvironments favor the proliferation of xylan-degrading species. Following primary screening, several isolates demonstrated xylanolytic potential; however, Geotrichum candidum consistently exhibited the highest enzymatic activity under laboratory conditions. Optimization experiments indicated that xylanase production and activity were optimal at pH 5 and 40°C, reflecting suitability for mildly acidic biomass processing systems. The crude enzyme preparation was subsequently applied for the hydrolysis of bajra (pearl millet) biomass. The released fermentable sugars were subjected to anaerobic fermentation for ethanol production. After distillation, ethanol concentrations ranged between 20 and 24 g/L. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis confirmed the characteristic functional groups corresponding to ethanol, and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) showed a prominent ethanol peak at a retention time of approximately 4.39 minutes, indicating substantial purity of the distillate. The findings demonstrate the enzymatic efficiency of G. candidum in xylan degradation and support the utilization of bajra as a viable lignocellulosic substrate for bioethanol production. The study provides an integrated framework linking microbial enzyme production with downstream biofuel generation, contributing to sustainable biomass valorization strategies.},
        keywords = {Xylanase-producing yeast, Geotrichum candidum, Bajra (Pearl millet), Bioethanol production, Lignocellulosic biomass valorisation.},
        month = {April},
        }