This award supports cooperative research in the microbiology of cellulose bioconversion to be conducted by Robert Tengerdy of Colorado State University and Marcel Gutierrez-Correa of the National Agrarian University in Lima, Peru. The goal is the development of the technology of bioconversion and utilization of agricultural residues into digestible, protein enriched animal feed. Solid substrate fermentation with lignocellulose degrading fungi, followed by ensilage in the presence of lignocellulase enzymes converts low grade farm residues into highly digestible, protein rich feed, well preserved for stable long-term storage. The availability of this technology for on-farm use in Peru and other less well developed countries will bring technical and economic benefits which help fulfill the goals of the Science in Developing Countries program. A Peruvian student will be trained in Colorado and the process tested on various substrates indigenous to Peru. The lactobacillus used in this work is a new one isolated in recent related research. This work represents a cooperation between a strong biotechnology affinity group at Colorado State and biologists and microbiologists expert in solid substrate fermentation at the National Agrarian University in Lima.
