10.22376/ijpbs.2019.10.1.p1-12 Volume 4 Issue 4 2013 (October - December) A pectinase producing fungus was isolated from compost soil. Morphological characteristics, microscopic observations and molecular characterization based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences led to its identification as lessThan i greaterThan Aspergillus niger lessThan /i greaterThan (GenBank Accession Number: JX556221) and it was designated as lessThan i greaterThan Aspergillus niger lessThan /i greaterThan strain K3. In the present study, the culture condition of the media was found to have a marked effect on pectinase production. The optimum pH and temperature for maximum pectinase activity was 8.0 (70U/ml) and 45 lessThan sup greaterThan 0 lessThan /sup greaterThan C (90U/ml), respectively. The best carbon sources that induce pectinase production was found to be fructose (40U/ml) followed by maltose (38U/ml). Among the nitrogen sources, ammonium nitrate (80U/ml) produced maximum pectinase followed by peptone (72U/ml). ROHIT K C, SUDIPTA K M, PURUSHOTHAM B AND KUMARA SWAMY M Pectinase, pectin esterase, pectin, Aspergillus niger, ITS region. 667-675