Preliminary study of L-lysine production by Bacillus species using various agricultural by-products.

The production of lysine by Bacillus megaterium SP-14 and Bacillus circulans Tx-22 using agricultural by-products as carbon and nitrogen sources was assessed. Among the carbon substrates used were potato, sorghum, plantain, millet, yam, cassava, and corn starches, while the nitrogen sources include cowpea, bambara-nut, cotton seed, groundnut, soybean, and blood meals. The effect of natural nitrogen sources (1.0% w/v) and synthetic nitrogen source (4.0% w/v (NH4)2SO4) on lysine production by the Bacillus strains showed that natural nitrogen sources gave better lysine yields.