An indigenously isolated fungal strain identified as Aspergillus terricola with assigned fungal strain number MTCC 7588 has been used as source for pectin lyase production. The extracellular pectin lyase was purified to homogeneity from the culture filtrate of A. terricola by ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. The determined molecular weight was 35 +/- 01 kDa. The K (m) and k (cat) (turnover) values of the purified enzyme at 37 A degrees C using citrus pectin as the substrate were found to be 1.0 mg/ml and 110.0 s(-1), respectively. The pH and temperature optima of the enzyme were 8.0 and 50 A degrees C, respectively. The retting ability of the purified pectin lyase for natural fibers viz. Cannabis sativa and Linum usitatissimum has been demonstrated for the first time.