In the present investigation the biochemical characteristics of a local isolated strain producing xanthan gum was studied. The strain was isolated by serially diluting the extract of infected banana petioles. Biochemical characteristics such as gram staining, growth on asparagines medium, growth on nutrient agar, salt tolerance, starch hydrolysis, hydrogen sulfide production, oxidase test and catalase test were studied. Xanthan gum production was carried out at pH - 7, Temperature -30oC, glucose concentration – 40 g/1 and inoculums size - 10 % (v/v). The maximum xanthan gum production of 21.8 g/l was achieved at 96 hrs. The produced xanthan gum was compared with that of the commercial xanthan gum by FTIR spectra. The ability of the various growth models, namely, Logistic, Monod, Herbert, Shehata & Marr, Tessier and Haldane models in representing the batch kinetic data of the present work were analyzed, while Logistic model is best suited in describing the xanthan gum production of the present work. Substrate utilization and product formation kinetics were also studied.
