A potent itaconic acid producing strain, Aspergillus terreus SKR10, was isolated 
from horticulture waste. Market refuse, apple and banana, were explored as novel 
substrates for itaconic acid production with yields of 20+/-2.0 and 20.0+/-1.0 g 
l(-1), respectively. Itaconic acid yields of 28.5+/-2.2 and 31.0+/-1.7 g l(-1) 
were obtained with acid and alpha-amylase hydrolyzed corn starch. The efficiency 
of itaconic acid production by this wild type strain was improved by 
ultraviolet, chemical and mixed mutagenic treatments. Two high itaconic acid 
yielding mutants, N45 and UNCS1 were obtained by gradient plating. These two 
mutants were capable of producing twice the yield of itaconic acid as the parent 
strain.