The solid-state bioconversion of wheat straw by Phanerochaete chrysosporium for the production of animal feed was studied. This study was performed based on a central composite experimental design. The conditions of the seed culture most suitable for rapid induction of the ligninolytic activity of the fungus, when the seed culture is subsequently used for solid-state bioconversion of wheat straw, were determined. When the seed culture with an initial pH of 5.8 was grown under agitated conditions at 130 rpm in baffled flasks at 38degreesC, it was predicted to give lignin degradation of 19.5% and cellulose degradation of 17.8%. A time profile study of the solid-state bioconversion of wheat straw indicated that the highest lignin and lowest cellulose degradation levels occurred on the sixth day of cultivation. The desirability coefficient for this process also passed through a maximum of 0.705 on the sixth day.