Corn starch was used as substrate for β -amylase production from ten(10) amylolytic species of the genus
Bacillus
isolated locally from soil, waste water and food sources. Ten bacillus strains was made up of two strains each of
Bacillus macerans
,
Bacillus licheniformis
and
Bacillus circulans
. Also included are
B. coagulans,
B. megatarium,
B. polymyxa and
B. subtilis.
B. cereus ATCC 11778 served as type specie. The mean estimate of total bacterial count for all the amylolytic bacillus strains studied was 11.58 X 10
2 CFU/ml in corn starch substrate, 10.1 X10
2 CFU/ml soluble starch and nutrient broth medium recorded 7.4 X 10
2 CFU/ml. The growth value expressed in corn starch substrates shows its viability as a cheap carbon source. β-amylase production by the various strains showed that B. licheniformis (S2) (4.2 unit/ml) and B. subtilis (6.24 unit/ml) has high enzymatic activity with corresponding maltose yield of 46.4mg/ml and 68.0mg/ml respectively. Calcium ion added to the assay systems improved β-amylase activity.