Abstract
An evaluation of different kinds of treatments to enhance the biological degradability of sugarcane bagasse‐pith is presented. NaOH treatment, gamma ray irradiation and inoculation of the material with the white rotting mold Sporotrichum pulvurulentum and combinations of above mentioned alternatives were evaluated by measuring the increase in water solubility and the susceptibility to cellulose degradation as well as by the change in the chemical composition of the material.NaOH treatment at 6% concentration and the combined treatment with NaOH at 2% and further fermentation with the mold gave the best results. Gamma irradiation up to a dose of 60 Mrad didn't show an important effect.