Article

Composition variability of spent mushroom compost in Ireland

January 2008
Bioresource Technology 99(2):411-8

DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2006.12.012

Source
PubMed

Authors:

Dundalk Institute of Technology

Spent mushroom compost (SMC) has proven to be an attractive material for improving soil structure in tilled soils and increasing dry matter production in grassland soils, owing to its high organic matter content and availability of essential plant nutrients. Because of this, it is important to identify the variability in composition of SMC in order to evaluate its merit as a fertilizer/soil conditioner. For this reason, a study was carried out involving the analysis of SMC samples obtained from five mushroom growers using compost from each of the 13 mushroom composting yards currently operating in both Northern Ireland (5 yd) and the Republic of Ireland (8 yd). The selected parameters measured include dry matter, organic matter, total N, P and K, C/N ratio; plant-available P and K, pH, EC, total Ca, Mg, Na, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb; and cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin constituents. Yield of mushroom data were also collected from the selected growers. There were significant differences (P<0.05) within two compost production yards for some parameters, therefore, for the most part, the uniformity of SMC within each yard is relatively consistent. However, significant differences (P<0.05) were evident when comparing SMC obtained from growers supplied with compost from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland independently, particularly among total and available phosphorus and potassium values. The results obtained show that, while SMC has fertilizer merit, its variability of composition must be taken into account when assessing this value. The variability of composition is also of particular interest in the context of recent emphasis on plant nutrient management in agriculture.

Morphological and Yield Parameters, Dry Matter Distribution, Nutrients Uptake, and Distribution in Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. ‘Elsanta’ as Influenced by Spent Mushroom Substrates and Planting Seasons

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2022

The performance of autumn and spring-planted strawberry cv. ‘Elsanta’ in peat and peat supplemented with fresh spent mushroom substrate (SMS) of Agaricus bisporus, Lentinus edodes, and Pleurotus ostreatus in 15% and 25% was evaluated. The morphological and yield parameters, dry matter distribution, uptake, and partitioning of macro- and micronutrients were studied. The experiment was carried out during 2020–2021 in an unheated tunnel and was laid out in a randomised complete block design in five replicates. The study aimed to deliver greater insight into utilising fresh SMS as a sustainable substitute to peat. The shoot and root length, leaf number, crown diameter, plant dry weight, and marketable yields were superior in SMS-based substrates in autumn planting. The nutrient uptake varied among substrates and planting seasons, where higher plant nutrient uptake was noticed in SMS-based substrates. Nutrient partitioning among leaves, crowns, and roots was dynamic. The N, P, K, and Mn were mainly recovered in leaves. While Mg was almost equally partitioned among plant organs. The higher amounts of Na, Zn, and Cu were found in crowns. The greater accumulation of Ca and Fe in roots was evident. Correlation indicated that plant macro- and micronutrients had both positive and negative interactions. Overall, the superior morphological and yield performances of cv. ‘Elsanta’ were more noticeable in SMSs than in peat in autumn-planted strawberries.

Influence of Different Spent Mushroom Substrates on Yield, Morphological and Photosynthetic Parameters of Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.)

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2021

The present study aimed to evaluate fresh spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as a growing medium in soilless strawberry cv. ‘Honeoye’ production. Fresh SMS after commercial production of Agaricus bisporus, Lentinus edodes, and Pleurotus ostreatus was used as a peat substitute in 15 and 25% (v/v), for strawberry cultivation in an unheated plastic tunnel. In the experiment, seven different substrates were studied, including peat (100%) as control and six substrate combinations (prepared by mixing SMSs with peat). The study was carried out in a randomized complete block design in five replicates. The results indicated that the electrical conductivity (EC), pH, and nutrient content varied among the studied substrates. The experiment also demonstrated that the substrates significantly influenced strawberry yield, leaf area, and fresh and dry plant weights. However, no significant differences were observed for selected photosynthetic parameters (Fv/Fm, Fv/F0, and PIabs) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values among the evaluated substrates. Differences were recorded for the Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI) and Modified Chlorophyll Absorption in Reflectance Index (MCARI) values. The present investigation revealed that fresh SMSs can be an effective and inexpensive peat substitute in 15 and 25% (v/v). Therefore, such easy and immediate utilisation of SMSs could overcome associated disposal problems.

The Importance of Extraction Protocol on the Analysis of Novel Waste Sources of Lignocellulosic Biomass

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2021

As the utilization and consumption of lignocellulosic biomass increases, so too will the need for an adequate supply of feedstock. To meet these needs, novel waste feedstock materials will need to be utilized. Exploitation of these novel feedstocks will require information both on the effects of solvent extraction on the succeeding analysis of potential novel feedstocks and how accurate current methodologies are in determining the composition of novel lignocellulosic feedstocks, particularly the carbohydrate and lignin fractions. In this study, the effects of solvent extraction on novel feedstocks, including tree foliage, tree bark and spent mushroom compost, with 95% ethanol, water and both sequentially were examined. Chemical analyses were carried out to determine the moisture content, ash, extractives, post-hydrolysis sugars, Klason lignin (KL) and acid-soluble lig-nin (ASL) within the selected feedstocks. The result of extraction could be seen most strongly for Klason lignin, with a strong association between higher levels of Klason lignin levels and greater amounts of non-removed extractives (tree foliage and bark). Higher Klason lignin levels are reported to be due the condensation of non-removed extractives during hydrolysis, hence the lower Klason lignin determinations following extraction are more exact. In addition, total sugar determi-nations were lower following extractions. This is because of the solubility of non-cell-wall carbohydrates ; thus, the determinations following extraction are more accurate representations of structural cell-wall polysaccharides such as cellulose. Such determinations will assist in determining the best way to utilize novel feedstocks such as those analyzed in this work.

Fertiliser characteristics of stored spent mushroom substrate as a sustainable source of nutrients and organic matter for tillage, grassland and agricultural soils

Article

Full-text available

May 2021

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) is an organic manure that can be used with advantage in agriculture. Under European Union (EU) (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations, SMS cannot be applied to land over the winter months and must be stored on concrete surfaces, either covered or uncovered, to prevent nutrient-rich runoff seeping into groundwater. Spent mushroom substrate at four storage facilities, two covered and two uncovered, was analysed for physical and chemical characteristics after storage for up to 12 mo. Significant differences (P<0.05) were identified for all parameters across the four sites, except for pH, but there were no consistent differences that correlated with uncovered or covered storage conditions. The content of nitrogen (N) and manganese (Mn) was significantly lower in uncovered SMS, while the content of iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) was significantly higher. The chemical nitrogen-phospous-potassium (NPK) fertiliser equivalent value of SMS, when applied at a rate of 10 t/ha, was between €105 and €191 per hectare. Nitrogen-phospous-potassium concentrations per kg wet weight were all higher in SMS that was stored under cover, meaning higher chemical fertiliser savings are possible. The high pH of stored SMS (7.8–8.1) means it could be used with good effect on acid soils instead of ground limestone. The low bulk density of SMS (0.545–0.593 g/cm ³ ) makes it an ideal amendment to soils to improve soil structure and quality. There is some variability in the nutrient content of SMS from different sources, so it is advisable to get the material analysed when including in nutrient management plans.

Hydrothermal carbonization of spent mushroom compost waste compared against torrefaction and pyrolysis

Article

Jun 2021
FUEL PROCESS TECHNOL

The effects of operating conditions (temperature, residence time, and water contents) of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of spent mushroom compost (SMC) waste on the hydrochars (HCs) and liquid effluent characteristics were experimentally revised and ranked in increasing order: residence time < dilution factor < temperature. HTC upgraded the energy capabilities by doubling their heating values and increasing their fixed carbon contents four times. HTC also enhanced the soil amendment characteristics of SMC feedstock in terms of increasing the adsorption polar heads concentration, enriching its calcium and heavy metals contents after a thorough inorganic contents evaluation, doubling the surface area and increasing the pore size by a factor of five. When compared against biocoal from torrefaction in another study, HCs contained less toxic oxygenated compounds and had an 11% higher HHV at lower temperature (i.e. lower energy cost). On the other hand, HCs showed higher surface area (25 m2/g at 250 °C in HTC compared to 16 m²/g at 550 °C in pyrolysis), close adsorption characteristic, and comparable energy capabilities (22.72 MJ/kg at 700 °Cs in pyrolysis compared to 20.7 MJ/kg at 250 °C in HTC) to pyrolysis at significantly lower temperature. GCMS along with UV were used to verify the reviewed degradation mechanism and evaluate the effect of process parameters on this mechanism and on the composition and toxicity of the HTC liquid effluent. They showed that acetic and formic acids, ethanol, phenol, and acetaldehyde were the major compounds that had resulted from the degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Their concentrations increased with temperature and residence time, but was dependent on temperature in the case of increasing the dilution factor. Nevertheless, HTC degradation enhanced the total acids-phenols concentration in the liquid effluent by 700%.

Physical, chemical and biological properties of spent mushroom substrates of different mushroom species

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2020

The production of different mushroom species in the world and Turkey, and the amount of spent mushroom substrate remaining after mushroom production process increase year by year. Mushroom substrates released in large quantities are removed from the enterprises by burning, discarding, or incorporating into the soil in agricultural areas. These practices are not economical for the enterprises and cause some serious environmental pollution problems. However, the spent mushroom substrate is a material that could be included the economy by reusing in many different fields. The composition of the spent mushroom substrate varies depending on produced mushroom species and also the materials used in compost preparation. Therefore, determining the properties of spent mushroom substrates is of great importance. In this study, some physical, chemical and biological properties of spent mushroom substrates obtained from the production of different mushroom species (Agaricus bisporus, Ganoderma lucidum, Hericium erinaceus, Lentinula edodes and Pleurotus ostreatus) cultivated in Turkey have been determined and compared with peat and standard media in terms of these properties. Statistically significant differences were determined among spent mushroom substrates and peat and standard media in terms of all examined properties. EC, organic matter, C, C:N rate, water holding capacity, microbial biomass carbon, arylsulphatase activity of spent mushroom substrate had been found significantly higher than that of peat and standard media. Results of EC, pH, C:N rate and phytotoxicity experiment revealed that fresh spent mushroom substrates taken just after mushroom production process did not have matured compost properties.

Effects of Repeated Application of Organic Soil Amendments on Horticultural Soil Physicochemical Properties, Nitrogen Budget and Yield

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2021

Application of organic amendments to soil is commonplace in domestic gardening. However, a vast array of materials could be labelled as ‘compost’ by retailers and suppliers. We investigated six different amendments currently used, or available for use, in horticulture: composted bark, composted bracken, spent mushroom compost, composted horse manure, garden waste compost (at two different application rates), and peat. Using a controlled field experiment, we examined the physicochemical differences between the amendments, the subsequent effects on soil characteristics, and resultant yield and biometrics of Lavatera trimiestris. Amended soils resulted in a significantly different multivariate soil environment and N budget when compared to the unamended control. However, the effect on yield and plant biometrics (number of flowers, plant height, etc.) depended on the amendment used. Application of garden compost resulted in up to a five-fold increase in yield. However, there was no significant difference in yields in soils amended with composted bark or peat, when compared to the unamended control. This has implications, as there is increasing pressure to remove peat from products available to domestic gardeners. The variability in the different amendments investigated in our research, in addition to the variable effects on plant growth parameters, suggests that repeated use of a single amendment may not be best practise for gardeners.

The Influence of Spent Mushroom Substrate Fertilization on The Selected Properties of Arable Soil

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2020

In the last decades, Poland has become the leader in mushroom Agaricus bisporus production in Europe. Mushroom production generates large amounts of spent substrate, which as a waste material must be recycled. Significant in this macronutrient content, inducing nitrogen, encourages the use of this organic waste material to fertilize, especially light soils. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of spent mushroom substrate fertilization on the properties of A horizon of the Stagnic Luvisol, especially for the variation in the nitrogen fraction, in the two-year cultivation period. The following laboratory analyses were performed: soil pH, organic carbon content, total content of nitrogen and sorption properties. The sequential extraction of nitrogen compounds was performed with a 0.25 M KCl solution (for the extraction of mineral nitrogen forms and the most labile organic nitrogen compounds) and with 0.25 and 2.5 M H 2 SO 4 (hot hydrolysis for sequencing of organic nitrogen compounds that are easily hydrolysing and difficult to hydrolyse). The application of spent mushroom substrate to the A horizons of the experimental objects had an effect on differentiation of soil properties and increased their value (pH, Corg, N-tot, Hh, CEC) in comparison to the control object to a greater degree after the first, then after the second year of cultivation. As the content of nitrogen mineral forms was differentiated, more nitrogen was found in an ammonium form (N-NH 4 ) than in a nitrate form (N-NO x ). The organic nitrogen content formed the following series of increasing amounts: soluble organic nitrogen N OS < N OEH < N ODH < N ONH .

The biotransformation of arsenic by spent mushroom compost -An effective bioremediation agent

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2021
ECOTOX ENVIRON SAFE

Spent mushroom compost (SMC) is a lignocellulose-rich waste material commonly used in the passive treatment of heavy metal-contaminated environments. In this study, we investigated the bioremediation potential of SMC against an inorganic form of arsenic, examining the individual abiotic and biotic transformations carried out by SMC. We demonstrated, that key SMC physiological groups of bacteria (denitrifying, cellulolytic, sulfate-reducing, and heterotrophic) are resistant to arsenites and arsenates, while the microbial community in SMC is also able to oxidize As(III) and reduce As(V) in respiratory metabolisms, although the SMC did not contain any As. We showed, that cooperation between arsenate and sulfate-reducing bacteria led to the precipitation of As x S y. We also found evidence of the significant role organic acids may play in arsenic complexation, and we demonstrated the occurrence of As-binding proteins in the SMC. Furthermore, we confirmed, that biofilm produced by the microbial community in SMC was able to trap As(V) ions. We postulated, that the above-mentioned transformations are responsible for the sorption efficiency of As(V) (up to 25%) and As(III) (up to 16%), as well as the excellent buffering properties of SMC observed in the sorption experiments.

Sustainable use of the spent mushroom substrate of Pleurotus florida for production of lignocellulolytic enzymes

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2019

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), a major byproduct of the mushroom industry, is a lignocellulosic biomass, which contains approximately 57–74.3% of holocellulose fraction. This study was aimed at utilizing SMS of Pleurotus florida for recovery of lignocellulolytic enzymes and sugars and also as a substrate for production of cellulolytic enzymes using different isolates of Trichoderma and Aspergillus under solid‐state fermentation (SSF). SMS of P. florida extracts contained significant amounts of laccase (3,015.8 ± 29.5 U/g SMS) and xylanase (1,187.9 ± 12 U/g SMS) activity. Crystallinity pattern and chemical changes in SMS revealed that SMS had a lower crystallinity index (34.2%) as compared with the raw biomass (37.8%), which, in turn, helps in enhancing the accessibility of cellulolytic enzymes to holocellulose. Among the isolates, Trichoderma longibrachiatum A‐01 showed maximum activity of endoglucanase (220.4 ± 5.9 U/mg), exoglucanase (78.5 ± 3.2 U/mg) and xylanase (1,550.4 ± 11.6 U/mg) while Aspergillus aculeatus C‐08 showed maximum activity of cellobiase (113.9 ± 3.9 U/mg). Extraction with sodium citrate buffer (pH 4.8) showed maximum cellulolytic enzyme activity as compared with other solvents tested. Partial purification of endoglucanase, exoglucanase, xylanase, and cellobiase resulted in 56.3% (1,112.5 U/mg), 48.4% (212.5 U/mg), 44% (4,492.3 U/mg), and 62% (705.0 U/mg) yield with an increase by 5.2‐, 4.5‐, 4.1‐, and 5.0‐fold as compared with crude extract. The results reveal that SMS from P. florida could be a potential and cost‐effective substrate for production of cellulolytic enzymes from T. longibrachiatum A‐01 and A. aculeatus C‐08.

Proof-of-the-Concept of Spent Mushrooms Compost Torrefaction - Preliminary Studies of Process Kinetics and the Influence of Temperature and Duration on Calorific Value of the Biochar

Preprint

Full-text available

Jul 2019

Poland is the 3rdproducer of mushrooms in the world. Mushroom production in Poland accounts for nearly 25% of the total production in the EU, and it is still growing. One type of waste generated during mushroom production is mushroom spent compost (MSC), with a 5:1 (MSC: mushrooms) production rate. We investigated valorizing the MSC to produce fuel via torrefaction (‘roasting’, a.k.a. low-temperature pyrolysis). Specifically, we developed models for the MSC torrefaction kinetics using thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) and the effects of torrefaction temperature (200~300 °C) and process duration time (20~60 min) on the resulting biochar (fuel) properties. The estimated activation energy value of MSC torrefaction was 22.3 kJ.mol-1. The highest higher heating value(HHV) = 17.9 MJ.kg-1d.m. was found for 280 °C (60 min torrefaction time). The temperature of torrefaction significantly (p<0.05) increased the HHVfor constant process duration. The torrefaction duration time significantly (p<0.05) increased the HHVfor 220 °C and decreased HHVfor 300 °C. The highest mass yield 98.5% was found for 220 °C (60 min), while the highest energy yield was found for 280 °C (60 min). In addition, estimations of the value (€132.3·Mg-1d.m. or 27.7 €·Mg-1w.m) and quantity of resulting biochar (from torrefied MSC with 65.3% moisture content) were made based on the 280°C (60 min) torrefaction variant, assuming the price of commercially available coal fuel. We have shown a concept for an alternative utilization of abundant biowaste (MSC). The initial economic evaluation showed that MSC torrefaction might be profitable. This research provides a basis for alternative use of an abundant biowaste and can help charting improved, sustainable mushroom production.

Yielding, chemical composition and nitrogen use efficiency determined for white cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata L.) supplied organo-mineral fertilizers from spent mushroom substrate

Article

May 2019

Ecofriendly utilization of lignocellulosic wastes: mushroom cultivation and value addition

Chapter

Jan 2023

Lignocellulosic wastes are low-cost, renewable, plentiful, and are a good natural resource for bioenergy and many other useful products. The cost of conversion is high; therefore, scientists are trying to develop cost-effective methods to transform these tough to degrade raw materials into value-added products having different applications. Large amounts of lignocellulosic wastes are produced as residues from agriculture and agroforestry sectors. The global annual generation of lignocellulosic wastes is in the order of 140 gigatons and presents significant management problems. They are generally burnt or left as garbage leading to air pollution and deterioration of soil and water quality. Value addition of these wastes using cost-effective techniques would lead to better utilization of these wastes. The bioconversion of lignocellulosic wastes through mushroom cultivation offers an ecologically sound alternative to convert these wastes into protein-rich foods and thus reduce pollution. Mushrooms are good sources of crude soluble fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and contain no starch, and have low calorific value. They are considered a good replacement for meat and their nutritional values are at par with several vegetables. Commercially available mushrooms are generally cultivated on lignocellulosic wastes such as wood chips, sawdust, and straw, thus, converting wastes into high-quality food to provide better nutrition and medicines to humankind. Mushroom cultivation also results in different by-products having application in different fields viz. development of nutraceutical as well as pharmaceutical formulations. Besides, these by-products could be used as animal feed, fertilizer, energy production, making cosmetics, and bioremediation. This chapter highlights how various lignocellulosic wastes can be value-added, especially employing mushroom cultivation, and summarizes other value-added products of mushrooms too.

By-Product Feeds: Current Understanding and Future Perspectives

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2021

Recently, industrial and agricultural by-products, resulting from crops, fruit and vegetable processing which can be used in animal diets have become a hot topic in the animal feed industry. This review focuses on the agro-industry by-products as feeds, not only for the nutritional values, but also for their nutricine contribution. In this review, we described the chemical composition of some by-products as feeds and their limiting factors in animal feeding.

Remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aged agricultural soil using spent Pleurotus eryngii mushroom substrate

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2022
J SOIL SEDIMENT

PurposeAgricultural soils are faced with increasingly prevalent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution. To remediate the PAH-contaminated agricultural soils, the degradation of PAHs in aged contaminated soils by spent mushroom substrate (SMS) of Pleurotus eryngii at different rates and frequencies was analyzed.Materials and methodsP. eryngii SMS was applied in the soils at different rates (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%) and frequencies (1, 2, 4), and the soils were incubated for 60 days. The soil physicochemical properties, soil enzymatic activities, biomass of the degrading bacteria, and degradation efficiency of PAHs were analyzed. The degradation products of phenanthrene and fluoranthene were studied.Results and discussionThe degradation efficiency of 16 PAHs in soils increased with the increase in the rate and frequency of the SMS application. The highest efficiency was 48.3% when SMS was applied at a rate of 20% and a frequency of 4. The content of soil organic matter, available potassium, and alkaline nitrogen was high when 20% SMS was applied at a high frequency. The biomass of PAH-degrading bacteria and enzyme activities in soils increased when SMS was applied. The degradation efficiency of PAHs was positively correlated with the biomass of PAH-degrading bacteria and activities of most soil enzymes (r = 0.815–0.915, p < 0.05).Conclusions Applying SMS at a high rate and frequency enhanced the degradation of PAHs in soils. The PAHs were cleaved and the ring was opened due to the P. eryngii SMS.

Microbial community succession in response to sludge composting efficiency and heavy metal detoxification during municipal sludge composting

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2022

This study researched microbial community succession in response to sludge composting efficiency and heavy metal detoxification during municipal sludge co-composting with spent mushroom and spent bleaching. The change law of key physicochemical properties, the heavy metals contents and forms during composting were analyzed, and the passivation of heavy metals after composting was explored. High-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the microbial community structure of treat 2 during composting, and the correlation analysis of microbial community structure with heavy metal contents and forms were carried out. The results showed that the sludge of each treatment reached composting maturity after 26 days of composting. Organic matter content, electrical conductivity, pH and seed germination index of treat 2 were all in line with the standard limit of agricultural sludge. Because of the presence of compost bacteria addition, the passivating heavy metals performance of treat 2 satisfied the standard limit of agricultural sludge after composting, which was superior to that of treat 1 and treat 3. The diversity of microbial communities in treat 2 decreased during composting. Extensive bacteria such as Bacillus, Geobacter, Lactobacillus, and Pseudomonas, which possessed the abilities of heavy metal passivation and organic oxidizing, were dominant in treat 2 during the heating stage. However, as composting proceeded, Tuberibacillus with ability of organic oxidizing gradually became the most dominant species at the thermophilic and cooling stages. Changes in microbial function varied from changes of microbial community in treat 2, subsequently affected the performances of heavy metal passivation and organic oxidizing during composting.

Preliminary Study of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm. Spent Mushroom Compost as Nutrient Supplement on the Shoot Induction of Fig Tissue Culture

Article

Aug 2022

Spent mushroom compost is identified as waste substrate. As the mushroom agriculture industry is growing rapidly, the production also increases and contributes to large amounts of spent mushroom compost annually. The conversion of spent mushroom compost as waste to wealth is a great concept that can give value to agricultural industry and solid waste management of mushroom cultivation. The use of SMC as nurient supplement may reduce the production cost for in vitro culture of fig plant. This research is to study the use of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm. spent mushroom compost (SMC) as a nutrient supplement of the media in shoot induction of fig plant. Nodal segment of fig’s stem was cultured in MS media supplemented with different concentrations of SMC. With presence of SMC, 10% SMC have the highest shoot proliferation (2.167 ± 1.169) and length of shoot (0.154 ± 0.060 cm). The study revealed that in presence of 10% of SMC could produce new shoots at a frequency which was comparable to the control (p<0.05; n=3; Tukey’s multiple range test). Among the different media combinations of plant growth regulators with SMC, 15 μM Kinetin with 10% SMC is the most effective treatment which gave maximum number of shoot proliferation (3.00 ± 1.27). 30 μM IAA with 10% SMC media have the highest leaves regenerated which were 1.33 ± 0.84. In conclusion, the SMC added in media for plant tissue culture had positive effect on shoot induction thus highlighted the potential of waste substrate of SMC to act as nutrient supplement for plant tissue culture.

Use of lignocellulosic waste materials in the passive treatment of highly alkaline wastewater contaminated with sulfates and metals – From a laboratory study to pilot scale

Article

Nov 2022
J ENVIRON MANAGE

Passive wastewater treatment systems are an alternative to costly and ineffective chemical wastewater treatment methods. Lignocellulosic waste materials (LWM) are often used in passive wastewater treatment systems as a cheap and accessible source of nutrients. LWM, such as spent mushroom compost and woodchips, have been implemented for the successful management of mildly alkaline effluents, which constitute a large fraction of industrial wastewater. The objective of the study was to provide an extensive study of the parameters in four types of commonly used LWM (raw and composted sawdust, spent mushroom compost and woodchips), which can be used in the planning of a passive wastewater treatment plant. LWM were shown to remove up to 90% Zn²⁺ and Pb²⁺ from a model solution and neutralize wastewater. Moreover, the LWM were inhabited by a physiologically diverse microbial consortium containing sulfate-reducing and cellulolytic microbes, which can influence the treatment process. Another purpose of this study was to construct a pilot wastewater treatment plant based on the use of LWM and gravel and to present its ability to effectively treat extremely alkaline flotation wastewater (pH = 12) originating from a lead and zinc mine located in Montenegro. The treated wastewater had a unique, but challenging chemical composition for passive treatment, as it was heavily contaminated with sulfates (∼1200 mg/L) and lead (∼1 g/L). The removal within the developed installation reached a rate of 66%, while the treated effluent, after initial neutralization, was maintained at a pH of approximately 7. Lead and zinc concentrations after treatment were also kept at levels required by Montenegrin law for wastewater disposal.

Lignocellulolytic enzymes and bioethanol production from spent biomass of edible mushrooms using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pachysolen tannophilus

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2022

In this study, spent mushroom substrate (SMS) obtained from edible mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus florida) was used as a potential biomass for lignocellulolytic enzymes (oxidative and hydrolytic enzymes), and bioethanol production was investigated. The activity of lignocellulolytic enzymes was analyzed in SMS collected at different stages of mushroom cultivation. The activity of oxidative enzymes (VP, MnP, LiP, and laccase) was higher during mycelial growth stage, and the activity of hydrolytic enzymes (CMCase, xylanase, and cellobiohydrolase) was observed maximum during the formation and development of fruiting bodies. Relative proportion of lignocellulosic components (lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose) was analyzed in SMS taken from axenic and non-axenic conditions. The scanning electron microscopy along with X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of SMS showed strong alterations in the lignocellulosic fibers caused by the enzymatic and non-enzymatic action of the fungus in the substrate after the vegetative growth and fruiting stage of A. bisporus and P. florida. The hydrolysis with alkali (NaOH) and in-house produced partially purified enzymes were evaluated for SMS pretreatment to obtain maximal reducing sugar for bioethanol production. Maximum reducing sugar yield from SMS after pretreatment was 14.31 ± 0.49 mg/ml (A. bisporus) and 18.51 ± 0.56 mg/ml (P. florida). The fermentation efficiency of 76.13% and 58.12% was obtained from pretreated SMS of A. bisporus and P. florida at 30 ± 2 °C after 48 h incubation, by using co-culture of different sugar utilizing yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pachysolen tannophilus). The results suggested that SMS of edible mushrooms could be a cheap expedient substrate for sustainable bioethanol production with high lignocellulolytic enzymes recovery.

A new circular economy approach for integrated production of tomatoes and mushrooms

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2022

Spent mushroom Substrate is the by-product generated at the end of the mushroom growing cycle. It can be used in agriculture for different purposes, including seedling production, soil conditioning or application as an organic fertilizer. Tomato is one of the world́s most important crops, requiring considerable care, in terms of both nutrition and disease control. The objective of this study was to investigate the viability of spent mushroom substrate as a nutrient source for tomato seedlings and develop an integrated tomato and mushroom co-production system. For seedling production, different compositions were evaluated with spent mushroom substrate from Pleurotus ostreatus or substrate colonized with Agaricus bisporus. The parameters evaluated comprised germination rate, seedling quality and physicochemical analysis. A tomato and mushroom integrated production system was developed using a 40-liter pot divided into upper (spent mushroom substrate and soil), middle (spent mushroom substrate from P. ostreatus) and lower (gravel) layers. For seedlings production, plants treated with the substrate colonized with A. bisporus presented a superior root length (10.1 cm) and aerial part length (6.6 cm). Co-production of tomato and mushrooms was also shown to be viable. In this co-cultivation system between tomato and mushroom, the treatment with the substrate colonized with A. bisporus differed from others, with this treatment presenting high yields of tomato (2.35 kg/plant pot) and mushrooms (1.33 kg/plant pot) within the same bucket. With this co-production system, the tomato production time was reduced by 60 days and prolonged continuous mushroom production by 120 days. These findings show a sustainable approach to manage different agroindustrial residues, encouraging the use of these residues for olericulture and fungiculture production.

The addition of sawdust reduced the emission of nitrous oxide in pig manure composting by altering the bacterial community structure and functions

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2022
ENVIRON SCI POLLUT R

Although composting, a measure to dispose agricultural waste, is widely accepted and applied, specific knowledge of microbially driven effects on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions during composting remains limited. Here, we monitored the impact of sawdust on N2O emissions during pig manure composting. The results suggested that adding sawdust to the compost improved the compost temperature and reduced N2O emissions. The addition of sawdust significantly altered the bacterial community structure and enhanced community turnover during the composting process. The addition of sawdust significantly reduced the relative abundance of denitrification and ureolysis, while increasing the relative abundance of nitrogen fixation. Specifically, adding sawdust may reduce N2O emissions by reducing the relative abundance of Salinithrix, Truepera, Azomonas, Iamia, Silanimonas, Phycisphaera, and Gp21 during the thermophilic and mature phases of the composting period.

Effects of Application of Recycled Chicken Manure and Spent Mushroom Substrate on Organic Matter Acidity and Hydraulic Properties of Sandy Soils

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2021

Soil organic matter is a key resource base for agriculture. However, its content in cultivated soils is low and often decreases. This study aimed at examining the effects of long-term application of chicken manure (CM) and spent mushroom substrate (SMS) on organic matter accumulation, acidity, and hydraulic properties of soil. Two podzol soils with sandy texture in Podlasie Region (Poland) were enriched with recycled CM (10 Mg ha−1) and SMS (20 Mg ha−1), respectively, every 1–2 years for 20 years. The application of CM and SMS increased soil organic matter content at the depths of 0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm, especially at 0–20 cm (by 102–201%). The initial soil pH increased in the CM- and SMS-amended soil by 1.7–2.0 units and 1.0–1.2 units, respectively. Soil bulk density at comparable depths increased and decreased following the addition of CM and SMS, respectively. The addition of CM increased field water capacity (at –100 hPa) in the range from 45.8 to 117.8% depending on the depth within the 0–60 cm layer. In the case of the SMS addition, the value of the parameter was in the range of 42.4–48.5% at two depths within 0–40 cm. Depending on the depth, CM reduced the content of transmission pores (>50 µm) in the range from 46.3 to 82.3% and increased the level of residual pores (

Reclaiming Open Coal Spoils by Mixed Woodland: Varteg (Wales), 10 Year Results

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2021

Many reclaimed opencast coal-lands in Wales are now seriously degraded. This study explores the 10-year growth of native trees planted on compacted coal spoil. It compares the relative benefits of planting with spent mushroom compost (SMC) or well-rotted farmyard manure (FYM), both with and without supplementary fertilizer. Four main tree species—Common Alder, Oak, Scots Pine and Silver Birch—are considered. The survival of SMC-planted trees (77%) was significantly higher than for FYM-planted (72%). In Year 10, SMC-planted trees were significantly taller than those planted with FYM (4.75 vs. 4.57 m, respectively). Similarly, basal diameter (measured above the root collar) was larger among the SMC-planted trees. Discriminant analysis showed that the key discriminating variable between SMC-planted and FYM-planted trees was the type of fertilizer applied during planting. Adding slow-release fertilizer (SRF) and SRF plus superphosphate (SRF + P2O5) was beneficial to FYM-planted trees. Fertilizer supplements often favor the growth of FYM-planted trees in the early years, but later SMC-planted trees take the lead. The only species that benefited long term from FYM or fertilizer supplements was Alder. Overall, SMC-planted trees perform better than FYM-planted trees, but some of the difference can be mitigated by supplementary fertilization. Overall, SMC-planted trees perform better than FYM-planted trees.

Screening and Potential Uses of Contaminated Spent Mushroom ( Pleurotus spp.)

Chapter

Full-text available

May 2021

The commercial production of mushrooms generates a co-product, a virtually inexhaustible supply of spent mushroom substrate (SMS). It represents an ideal growth medium for plants and plant disease suppressive quality. Here we discussed about the contaminated microbial flora of SMS, potential antifungal and plant growth promoting activities, the results of these findings were also discussed in relation to the usage of SMS as a potential product for organic farming. SMS contained moisture content 72%, EC 1.75 mmho.cm−1 and had pH of 6.1. The cellulose and hemicellulose content of paddy straw substrate were 30.25%, 23.18% and 15.31% dry weight respectively. Growth in terms of root and shoot weight of the seedlings of green gram, black gram, tomato and chili were significantly higher when grown in 60% SMS amended soil. Spent mushroom compost from Pleurotus eous used in this study harbored bacterial population including, Bacillus sp., Clostridium sp., Pseudomonas sp. and E. coli. Bacterial isolate B1 was identified as Bacillus sp., isolate B2 was identified as Clostridium sp., isolate B3 as Pseudomonas sp. and B4 as Escherichia coli. These bacterial strains showed significant antagonistic activity against soil borne pathogenic fungi viz., Fusarium sp., Alternaria sp., Phytophthora sp. and Aspergillus sp.

A Paradigm Shift towards Sustainability: Utilizing Agricultural Waste as a Valuable Resource in Various Agricultural Endeavours

Chapter

Full-text available

Mar 2021

Farming generates a tremendous amount of waste in the form of cellulosic biomass. With the constant rise of atmospheric carbon dioxide and the continuous degradation of soil health in farmlands, the management of agricultural waste in a sustainable manner has long been a standing goal. In this paper, the various methods of sustainable waste management through cyclical usage of wastes in various agricultural endeavors are explored. Cellulosic biomass, like rice straw or corn stalk, can be utilized in the green synthesis of nanomaterials. It can also be used as fertilizer through composting, with the aid of rapid composting and enrichment technology. Moreover, cellulosic waste can be used as a substrate in mushroom farming, which produces a healthy yet affordable food source. The spent mushroom substrate, on the other hand, after being subjected to rapid composting and enrichment process, can be an alternative livestock, poultry, and fish feed. The manure from livestock farming can then be combined with cellulosic waste and subjected to composting to produce a compost fertilizer that the rice farmers can use as a supplement or even an alternative to commercial fertilizers. The cyclical utilization of agricultural wastes for a myriad of agricultural and industrial enterprises provides a cost-effective and environment-friendly approach in agricultural waste management.

The Effect of Fertilization with Spent Mushroom Substrate and Traditional Methods of Fertilization of Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) on Yield Quality and Antioxidant Properties of Herbal Material

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2021

This experiment was designed to determine the effect of spent mushroom substrate, farmyard manure, and mineral fertilization with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium on the yield and quality of raw material obtained from two cultivars (“Słoneczko” and “De Dolj”) of common thyme. Unfertilized plots with thyme crops were included as the control treatment. Different row spacings (30 cm and 40 cm) represented the second experimental factor. The highest total yield of thyme raw material was found in the treatment with mineral NPK fertilization, but also in the treatments where spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and mineral NPK fertilization were applied at a ratio of 50:50%. Fertilization with SMS alone (100%) yielded smaller production effects, but they were higher than in the case of fertilization with manure. The high suitability of spent mushroom substrate applied alone or supplemented with mineral fertilization at different rates in spring was confirmed by the best quality parameters and antioxidant properties of the raw material. The use of a wider row spacing (40 cm) resulted in a higher yield of thyme raw material than in the case of a narrower one (30 cm). The narrower row spacing significantly positively affected some of the analyzed quality parameters of the harvested raw material, such as: essential oil content, polyphenol content, and antioxidant activity. The thyme cultivar “Słoneczko” proved to be absolutely more beneficial in terms of yield quantity and quality than the foreign cultivar “De Dolj”.

Utilization of nematode-infected pinewood for mushroom cultivation and production of reducing sugar

Article

Sep 2020
BIORESOURCES

To improve the nematode-infected pinewood application value, an effective strategy was developed based on the cultivation of Flammulina velutipes to process the pinewood that was infected by the nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Different treatments were compared to determine the optimal method to obtain the highest yields of reducing sugars. The results showed that the cultivation of F. velutipes using the nematode-infected pine sawdust overcame the disadvantage of cultivation by using healthy pine sawdust, and whether fungal infection that happened in the period of pine wilt disease or during the cultivation of F. velutipes both can contribute on the degradation of the polysaccharide content. A high yield of reducing sugars can be obtained using 2% dilute sulfuric acid at 121 °C for 1 h to treat recyclable nematode-infected pine sawdust after the cultivation of F. velutipes. Additionally, the results showed that fungal infection that occurred in the period of the pine wilt disease and during the cultivation of F. velutipes in addition to acid hydrolysis effectively converted hemicellulose to reducing sugars.

Soil prokaryotic community resilience, fungal colonisation and increased cross-domain co-occurrence in response to a plant-growth enhancing organic amendment

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2020
SOIL BIOL BIOCHEM

In agricultural systems based on organic fertilisers, the activity of prokaryotes and fungi is essential for degradation of complex substrates and release of nutrients for plant uptake. Understanding the dynamics of microbial communities in these systems is, therefore, desirable for designing successful management strategies aiming to optimise nutrient availability and improve plant productivity. Of particular interest is how the microbial inoculum provided by an organic substrate persists in the soil and interacts with soil and plant microbiomes, as these processes may affect the long-term benefits of organic amendments. We aimed to investigate how these dynamics occurred in soil treated with stabilised spent mushroom substrate (SMS), a soil amendment rich in nutrients and complex organic matter. We carried out a 14 week soil trial to assess the plant growth promoting properties of the SMS and to monitor the successional processes of the resulting SMS-soil communities compared to a control treatment containing soil amended with mineral fertiliser. Bacterial and fungal communities were analysed by high-throughput sequencing at both DNA and RNA (cDNA) levels. Using a combination of computational tools, including SourceTracker and Network analysis, we assessed the persistence of SMS-derived taxa in soil, and the changes in co-occurrence patterns and microbial community structure over time. Prokaryotic and fungal communities presented remarkably distinct trajectories following SMS treatment. The soil prokaryotic communities displayed higher levels of resilience to the changes introduced by SMS treatment and rapidly tended toward a soil-like profile, with low persistence of SMS-derived prokaryotes. In contrast, the SMS fungal community had greater success in soil colonisation during the time monitored. SMS treatment promoted an increase in the participation of fungi in the highly connected fraction of the active community, including fungal taxa of SMS origin. We observed the presence of highly connected microbial guilds, composed by fungal and bacterial taxa with reported capabilities of complex organic matter degradation. Many of these taxa were also significantly correlated with soil organic matter content and plant yield, suggesting that these highly connected taxa may play key roles not only in the community structure, but also in the plant-soil system under organic fertilisation.

The Effect of Fertilizer Application of Granulated Organic-Mineral Fertilizers Formed from Spent Mushroom Substrate on Crop of Common Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.)

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2012

The aim the research is to estimate the influence of granulated organic-mineral fertilizers formed from spent mushroom substrate (SMS) on the common cabbage crop. Fertilizers and composted spent mushroom substrate are using on two doses on account of applicationed nitrogen content, these doses are 100 and 200 kg N ha-1. 10 fertilizers combinations on four replications are used in experiment. Th e test plant was common cabbage. After harvest were estimated yield of green matter and dry matter yield. Statgraphics 4.0. program was using to statistic data processing of the results. Dry matter yield of cabbage depends on the kind and dose of fertilizers applied in the experiment. The greatest yields are obtained from object manured by fertilizer formed from spent mushroom substrate with supplement urea and powdery superphosphate and potassium salt, also fertilizer formed from spent mushroom substrate with supplement ammonium salpeter. Other granuled organic-mineral fertilizers have a positive infl uence on increasing cabbage yield in comparison to the control object, however, their yield effect is similar.

Phd thesis: Circular food; crops from digested waste in a controlled environment

Thesis

Jun 2020

Ketil Stoknes

The food we eat can have a huge environmental impact. It is farmed and transported using fossil resources, while nutrients are lost and much of the product is wasted on its way to our plates. One way to meet this challenge is to combine biowaste treatment with food cultivation in closed-loop ecosystems. This has been on the agenda of NASA for decades; to live on Mars, this is the only way. This can now also be done on Earth. An increasingly popular way to treat industrial and household food waste is through “anaerobic digestion”, from which the output is fuel gas, CO2 and organic residues. These streams can be connected to controlled environments, such as greenhouses and mushroom farms, to produce crops directly. Circular food investigates how the digester residue can be converted to both fertiliser and growing medium. The methods are based on natural microbiology and focus on practical techniques for commercial growers. In addition to developing a complete circular system, the study found the optimal way to grow both button mushrooms and vegetables on digester residue, how to remove toxic heavy metals using mushrooms, and how spent mushroom compost can improve plant growth.

Valorization of Mushroom By-Products as a Source of Value-Added Compounds and Potential Applications

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2020
MOLECULES

Nowadays, the food sector is highly concerned with environmental issues and foreseen to develop strategies to reduce waste and losses resulting from activities developed in the food system. An approach is to increment added value to the agro-industrial wastes, which might provide economic growth and environmental protection, contributing to a circular economy. Mushroom by-products represent a disposal problem, but they are also promising sources of important compounds, which may be used due to their functional and nutritional properties. Research has been developed in different fields to obtain value added solutions for the by-products generated during mushroom production and processing. Bioactive compounds have been obtained and applied in the development of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical formulations. Additionally, other applications have been explored and include animal feed, fertilizer, bioremediation, energy production, bio-based materials, cosmetics and cosmeceuticals. The main purpose of this review is to highlight the relevant composition of mushroom by-products and discuss their potential as a source of functional compounds and other applications. Future research needs to explore pilot and industrial scale extraction methods to understand the technological feasibility and the economic sustainability of the bioactive compounds extraction and valorization towards different applications.

The Utilization of Mushroom Waste Substrate in Producing Vermicompost: The Decomposer Capacity of Lumbricus rubellus, Eisenia fetida and Eudrilus eugeniae

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2020

The objective of this study was to determine the capacity of Lumbricus rubellus , Eisenia fetida and Eudrilus eugeniae earthworms in vermicompost production utilizing mushroom waste substrate based on weight; number and weight loss of earthworms; temperature; pH; moisture content of media; and C/N ratio. The results showed that, by using 42 g of E. eugeniae , E. fetida and L. rubellus earthworms, there was an increase in weight of earthworms and vermicompost by more than 300% and 75%, respectively. In general, these three species of earthworms were able to produce vermicompost in compliance with quality standards, showing C/N ratio lower than 20.

Variation of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. Ex Fr.) P. Kumm. (1871) performance subjected to different doses and timings of nano-urea

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2020

Supplementation of the growing substrate by nitrogenous additives has been known to improve the production of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) P. Kumm. (1871)). However, the application of nano-additives has not been reported in such cultivation yet. The study investigated the effect of nano-urea added in two different doses (3g and 5g per kg substrate), once (at spawning or after first flush) or twice (at spawning and after first flush) to the growing substrate consisting of wheat straw and spent oyster substrate (1:1, w/w). Results showed that the application of nano-urea once has induced the highest number of mushroom flushes (four flushes) despite the dose applied. Contrarily to early findings, where high doses of nitrogen have caused inhibition of mushroom growth and production, nano-urea application has had better effects when applied twice. With 5 g/kg, it induced the shortest period between the first and the third flush (15 days). With 3 g/kg, it resulted in the highest biological and economic yields at the third flush (332.7 g/bag and 283.1 g/bag respectively), in total (973.4 g/bag and 854.0 g/bag respectively), the highest biological efficiency (109.6 %), and pileus diameter/stipe length ratio (2.8). Experimental findings of the current study may be potentially applied at commercial scale.

Evaluation of Spent Mushroom Substrate extract as biofertilizer for growth improvement of Rice (Oriza sativa)

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2019

The Effect of Different Fertilizers’ Sources on Micronutrients’ Content and Sugar Quality of Sugar Beet

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2019
COMPOST SCI UTIL

In order to evaluate the effect of different fertilizers’ sources on micronutrients’ content and sugar quality of sugar beet, three fertilizers’ sources include spent mushroom compost (SMC) (29 t/ha), sheep manure (23 t/ha), chemical fertilizer including zinc sulfate (10 kg/ha), copper sulfate (10 kg/ha), iron sulfate (30 kg/ha), manganese sulfate (15 kg/ha) and no fertilizer (control) were conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications at Research Farm of Shahrekord University in 2013. The results showed that micronutrients’ content in the root, α-amino-N sucrose percentage and sucrose yield were significantly affected by fertilizer treatments. The highest elements’ content of Fe (90.39 mg/kg), Zn (39.15 mg/kg), and Cu (18.1 mg/kg) in sugar beet root belonged to SMC treatment. Besides, SMC caused less α-amino-N accumulation in sugar beet compared with sheep manure (1.05 MEq/g). Sucrose percentage was higher in SMC treatment than the sheep manure. Likewise, sucrose percentage revealed a significant positive correlation with micronutrients of zinc, copper, and manganese in sugar beet root. Therefore, it could be concluded that using SMC increases micronutrients’ content in the root and at the same time, plays an important role in sugar quality improvement of sugar beet.

Proof-of-Concept of Spent Mushrooms Compost Torrefaction—Studying the Process Kinetics and the Influence of Temperature and Duration on the Calorific Value of the Produced Biocoal

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2019

Poland, being the 3rd largest and growing producer of mushrooms in the world, generates almost 25% of the total European production. The generation rate of waste mushroom spent compost (MSC) amounts to 5 kg per 1 kg of mushrooms produced. We proposed the MSC treatment via torrefaction for the production of solid fuel—biocoal. In this research, we examined the MSC torrefaction kinetics using thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) and we tested the influence of torrefaction temperature within the range from 200 to 300 °C and treatment time lasting from 20 to 60 min on the resulting biocoal’s (fuel) properties. The estimated value of the torrefaction activation energy of MSC was 22.3 kJ mol−1. The highest calorific value = 17.9 MJ kg−1 d.m. was found for 280 °C (60 min torrefaction time). A significant (p < 0.05) influence of torrefaction temperature on HHV increase within the same group of torrefaction duration, i.e., 20, 40, or 60 min, was observed. The torrefaction duration significantly (p < 0.05) increased the HHV for 220 °C and decreased HHV for 300 °C. The highest mass yield (98.5%) was found for 220 °C (60 min), while the highest energy yield was found for 280 °C (60 min). In addition, estimations of the biocoal recirculation rate to maintain the heat self-sufficiency of MSC torrefaction were made. The net quantity of biocoal (torrefied MSC; 65.3% moisture content) and the 280 °C (60 min) torrefaction variant was used. The initial mass and energy balance showed that MSC torrefaction might be feasible and self-sufficient for heat when ~43.6% of produced biocoal is recirculated to supply the heat for torrefaction. Thus, we have shown a concept for an alternative utilization of abundant biowaste (MSC). This research provides a basis for alternative use of an abundant biowaste and can help charting improved, sustainable mushroom production.

Appraisal of growth, development, yield and quality of Solanum melongena to different growth condition

Article

Jun 2019

Umaira Shahid

Mushroom mycoremediation: kinetics and mechanism

Chapter

Full-text available

Jun 2019

Cadmium mobility in a circular food-to-waste-to-food system and the use of a cultivated mushroom (Agaricus subrufescens) as a remediation agent

Article

May 2019

Organic-Based Salacca zalacca var. amboinensis Farming Development: An Alternative to Strengthening Farmers’ Economy and Food Security

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2022

Salacca zalacca var. amboinensis farming has been positioned as the main source of farmers’ income, which is used to meet various needs, including food. Nowadays, S. zalacca var. amboinensis farming has been carried out organically, although the financial benefits for the farmers are still questionably argued. The aims of the study were to analyze (1) the financial benefits of organic-based S. zalacca var. amboinensis farming, and (2) farmers’ perceptions of the contribution of organic-based S. zalacca var. amboinensis farming to farmers’ economic strengthening and food security. The study was carried out in production centers of S. zalacca var. amboinensis in the province of Bali, and 139 farmers were selected as the respondents of the study. The financial benefits were critically analyzed using a policy analysis matrix approach, and the farmers’ perceptions of the contribution of organic-based S. zalacca var. amboinensis farming to farmers’ economic strengthening and food security were analyzed using descriptive analysis. The results showed that the financial benefits of organic-based S . zalacca var. amboinensis farming in various strata of land areas and harvesting season were positively valued. However, farmers’ perceptions of the contribution of farming to their economic strengthening and food security were mostly positively categorized.

Multiple potentially toxic elements in urban gardens from a Brazilian industrialized city

Preprint

Full-text available

Oct 2022

Urban agriculture should be promoted as long as the food produced is safe for consumption. Located in the metropolitan region of São Paulo-Brazil, Santo André has intense industrial activities and more recently an increasing stimulus to urban gardening. One of the potential risks associated to this activity is the presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). In this study, the concentration of PTEs (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Ni, Mo, Pb, Sb, Se, V and Zn) was evaluated by soil (n=85) and soil amendments (n=19) in urban gardens from this municipality. Only barium was above regulatory limits in agricultural soil, although enrichment of all elements was observed. A multivariate statistical approach was applied and indicated two groups of elements with strong influence of the petrochemical complex located in this region. However, carcinogenic, and non-carcinogenic risks were not observed. Soil amendments were identified as a possible source of contamination for Ba, Zn and Pb and for pathogenic bacteria. Besides that, the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance suggests some soil management practices are necessary.

Continuous-mode acclimation and operation of lignocellulosic sulfate-reducing bioreactors for enhanced metal immobilization from acidic mining-influenced water

Article

Dec 2021
J HAZARD MATER

Lignocellulosic sulfate-reducing bioreactors are an inexpensive passive approach for treatment of mining-influenced water (MIW). Typically, microbial community acclimation to MIW involves bioreactor batch-mode operation to initiate lignocellulose hydrolysis and fermentation and provide electron donors for sulfate-reducing bacteria. However, batch-mode operation could significantly prolong bioreactor start-up times (up to several months) and select for slow-growing microorganisms. In this study we assessed the feasibility of bioreactor continuous-mode acclimation to MIW (pH 2.5, 6.5 mM SO4²⁻, 18 metal(loid)s) as an alternate start-up method. Results showed that bioreactors with spent brewing grains and sugarcane bagasse achieved acclimation in continuous mode at hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 7-12 d within 16-22 days. During continuous-mode acclimation, extensive sulfate-reduction (80 ± 20% – 91 ± 3%) and > 98% metal(loid) removal was observed. Operation at a 3-d HRT further yielded a metal(loid) removal of 97.5 ± 1.3 – 98.8 ± 0.9% until the end of operation. Sulfate-reducing microorganisms were detected closer to the influent in the spent brewing grains bioreactors, and closer to the effluent in the sugarcane bagasse bioreactors, giving insight as to where sulfate-reduction was occurring. Results strongly support that a careful selection of lignocellulose and bioreactor operating parameters can bypass typical batch-mode acclimation, shortening bioreactor start-up times and promoting effective MIW metal(loid) immobilization and treatment.

Zero waste management of spent mushroom compost

Article

Full-text available

May 2021

Edible mushroom are grown commercially using lignocellulosic waste by applying a biological process. However after the harvesting season about 70% of the substrate remain as a spent mushroom compost (SMC). SMC can be the source for retrieving value-added products which support zero waste approach. In this paper, the fate of SMC from agricultural production will be discussed focusing on its utilization. Based on the previous reports, major uses of SMC were in the agricultural field as mushroom media, animal feed, plant compost, fertilizer and others. Extended usage of SMC, i.e., for second cultivation is proposed in this review. In addition, the SMC was also applied in renewable energy production, e.g., feedstock for biogas, bioethanol or biohydrogen.

Integrated use of treated dairy wastewater and agro-residue for Agaricus bisporus mushroom cultivation: Experimental and kinetics studies

Article

Feb 2021

In this study, the combined application of treated dairy wastewater and agricultural residues for Agaricus bisporus mushroom cultivation is presented. For this, laboratory-scale cultivation of A. bisporus was done on a mixture of wheat straw and sugar cane bagasse substrates moistened with different concentrations of treated dairy wastewater (DWW) including, 0 (borewell water), 25, 50, 75, and 100%, respectively. Additionally, the mushroom growth patterns were analyzed using different kinetics models. The results revealed that substrate moistening using DWW showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in the nutrients composition which subsequently enhanced mushroom productivity. The maximum removal of substrate nutrients by A. bisporus was achieved using 75% DWW treatment with maximum mushroom yield (224.07±6.72 g/kg FS), biological efficiency (112.04±3.36%), and minimum spawn running time (15 days), respectively. In addition, the highest deformation of substrate chemical species was reported using 75% DWW enrichment as revealed from FTIR analysis. Also, the logistic model gave more reliable results as compared to the modified Gompertz model to determine the kinetics of A. bisporus growth and yield. This paper provides an integrated approach for sustainable management of industrial wastewater and agricultural residues in mushroom production while minimizing risks associated with their disposal.

Optimizing the amount of pig manure in the vermicomposting of spent mushroom ( Lentinula ) substrate

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2020

Background The mushroom industry produces a large amount of spent mushroom substrate (SMS), which requires a large geographical footprint and causes pollution. Methods We sought to optimize the C:N ratio of the initial feedstock used in vermicomposting of SMS by adding pig manure additions. We applied five treatments to the initial feedstock (S0, S1, S2, S3, and S4) with different C:N ratio of approximately 35, 30, 25, 20, and 15, respectively. Results Our results showed that lignin and cellulose in SMS were degraded after 56 days vermicomposting, especially in S2 (77.05% and 45.29%, respectively) and S3 (65.05% and 48.37%, respectively) treatments. We observed the degradation of the fibrous structure in SMS using pig manure treatments after vermicomposting by microscope and scanning electron microscope. Cellulase and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) were enhanced in pig manure treatments during vermicomposting, especially in the S2 and S3 treatments. The biomass of earthworms in the S2 treatments was at its highest level among all treatments at 28 to 56 days. The high level of PPO activity in the S2 treatment may protect cellulase and earthworms against the aromatic toxicity that is a byproduct of lignin degradation, particularly at 28 to 56 days of vermicomposting. Conclusively, it indicated that the C/N ratio of 25 in the S2 treatment was the optimal for SMS vermicomposting with the addition of pig manure. Our results provide a positive application for the recycling of both SMS and pig manure.

Isolation of alkali-thermotolerant cellulolytic bacteria from spent mushroom substrate

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Dec 2020

In this study, the isolation of new alkali-thermophilic bacteria with enhanced cellulase producing ability from the spent mushroom substrate was conducted. Repeated streaking was performed on the Microcrystalline-cellulose (MCC) to obtain a pure culture. Two thermophiles bacteria isolates were used for subsequent experiment. Morphological characteristic by gram staining and endospore staining also genetic identification of 16S rDNA was performed and the growth profile had been generated using Polymath Software. Filter paper assay (determination of enzyme activity), Bradford protein concentration were used in plotting the growth associated product curve. Based on the 16S rDNA sequencing results, the bacterium strains of Anoxybacillus geothermalis , incubated at 50˚C, pH 7 and Aeribacillus pallidus , incubated at 60˚C, pH 8 was successfully isolated. Both strains are gram-positive and endospore-forming bacteria. Based on the growth curve, the doubling time for Anoxybacillus geothermalis was calculated to be 49.5 minutes. Whereas, doubling time of Aeribacillus pallidus was 56.7 minutes. Both strains represent the growth assosiated product curve in which, when product formation is growth associated the specific rate of the product formation increases with specific growth rate and vice versa.

Bazı Organik Materyallerin ve İnorganik Gübrelerin Çemen Bitkisinin Gelişimine Etkileri

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2020

Bu çalışmada farklı organik (atık mantar kompostu (AMK) ve çay atığı (ÇA)) gübreler (OG) ile inorganik gübrelerin (İG) çemen (Trigonella foenum graecum) bitkisinin bazı verim unsurları üzerine etkilerinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Deneme faktöriyel dizayna göre 54 saksıda üç tekerrürlü olarak yürütülmüştür. Araştırmada çay atığı (ÇA0: % 0, ÇA1: % 2.5, ÇA2: % 5.0) ve atık mantar kompostu (AMK0: % 0, AMK1: % 2.5 ve AMK2: % 5.0) üç farklı dozda uygulanmıştır. İnorganik gübre olarak NPK kombinasyonu 3 farklı dozda ( 0, 125, 250 mg N kg-1 ; 0, 50, 100 mg P2O5 kg-1 ; 0, 75, 150 mg K2O kg-1 ) uygulanmıştır. Organik materyaller arasındaki farklılığın bitki boyu, bitki yaş ağırlığı, bitki kuru ağırlığı kök uzunluğu ve kök yaş ağırlığı üzerine etkileri istatistiksel olarak önemli (P<0.01) bulunmuştur. ÇA uygulamalarının bitki yaş ağırlığı, bitki kuru ağırlığı ve kök kuru ağırlığı üzerine etkilerinin % 1 düzeyinde, kök yaş ağırlığı üzerine etkilerinin ise % 5 düzeyinde önemli olduğu belirlenmiştir. AMK ve İG uygulamalarının bitki boyu, bitki yaş ağırlığı, bitki kuru ağırlığı, kök yaş ağırlığı ve kök uzunluğu üzerine etkilerinin % 1 düzeyinde önemli olduğu belirlenmiştir. En yüksek bitki boyu (32.94 cm), bitki yaş ağırlığı (2.95 g) ve bitki kuru ağırlığı (0.33 g) ortalamaları ÇA2 uygulamalarında elde edilmiştir. Araştırmada çay atığı ve atık mantar kompostu uygulamalarının bitki gelişim kriterleri üzerine genel olarak olumlu etkilerinin olduğu belirlenmiştir.

Exports and inputs of organic carbon on agricultural soils in Germany Exports and inputs of organic carbon on agricultural soils in Germany

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2020
NUTR CYCL AGROECOSYS

The quantity and quality of organic carbon (C org) input drive soil C org stocks and thus fertility and climate mitigation potential of soils. To estimate fluxes of C org as net primary production (NPP), exports, and inputs on German arable and grassland soils, we used field management data surveyed within the Agricultural Soil Inventory (n = 27.404 cases of sites multiplied by years). Further, we refined the concept of yield-based C org allocation coefficients and delivered a new regionalized method applicable for agricultural soils in Central Europe. Mean total NPP calculated for arable and grassland soils was 6.9 ± 2.3 and 5.9 ± 2.9 Mg C org ha-1 yr-1 , respectively, of which approximately half was exported. On average, total C org input calculated did not differ between arable (3.7 ± 1.8 Mg ha-1 yr-1) and grassland soils (3.7 ± 1.3 Mg ha-1 yr-1) but C org sources were different: Grasslands received 1.4 times more C org from root material than arable soils and we suggest that this difference in quality rather than quantity drives differences in soil C org stocks between land use systems. On arable soils, side products were exported in 43% of the site * years. Cover crops were cultivated in 11% of site * years and contributed on average 3% of the mean annual total NPP. Across arable crops, total NPP drove C org input (R 2 = 0.47) stronger than organic fertilization (R 2 = 0.11). Thus, maximizing plant growth enhances C org input to soil. Our results are reliable estimates of management related C org fluxes on agricultural soils in Germany.

Produkcja rolnicza a bezpieczna żywność - wybrane aspekty

Book

Full-text available

Jan 2019

Bazı organik materyallerin ve inorganik gübrelerin çemenin (trigonella foenum graecum) besin elementi içeriğine etkileri

Article

Full-text available

May 2019

Spent Mushroom Compost as a Soil Amendment for Vegetables

Article

Full-text available

Sep 1984
J AM SOC HORTIC SCI

Spent mushroom compost (SMC) was used as a soil amendment for field-grown vegetables. Four rates (0, 2, 10, or 20 kg/m ² ) of SMC were applied to a fine sandy loam in 1981 and 1982. SMC application decreased bulk density and increased the percentage of small pore space, pH, and electrical conductivity. Yields of cucumber and snap bean increased and yield of onion decreased, as the rate of SMC increased in 1981. Yields of cabbage, radish, and tomato were not affected significantly by the addition of SMC. Tomato yield was maximum at 10 kg/m ² , then declined as SMC was increased to 20 kg/m ² in 1982. Yield responses of cucumber, fall-planted radish, spinach, and mustard were similar to that of tomato. Salt sensitive crops, such as snap bean, onion, and spring-planted radish, suffered severely reduced plant stands and, consequently, decreased yields. Yield of cabbage, a relatively salt tolerant crop, was not affected by SMC. Concentrations of K in all leaf tissues increased significantly as the level of SMC increased. Mg content in leaf tissue decreased.

Use of Spent Mushroom Substrate for Growing Containerized Woody Ornamentals: An Overview

Article

Full-text available

Jun 1994
COMPOST SCI UTIL

The paper describes the potential benefits economically and environmentally of recycled Spent Mushroom Substrate. An experiment on its agricultural applications yielded favorable results despite its high salt level reputation. Investigations showed that many ornamental woody species grew well on 6-liter regular nursery containers amended with different proportions of SMS mixed with bark. Despite variable species response, there was little relationship of growth performance to: source of SMS; initial or subsequent salt levels in the media; chemical or physical characteristics of the media, including increasing shrinkage with added amounts of SMS; or contents of leaf nutrients. Almost all test plant species achieved marketable size and quality at harvest.

An international look at compost standards

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2001
Biocycle

Will Brinton

Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Fresh and Aged Spent Mushroom Compost

Article

Full-text available

Oct 1984
HORTSCIENCE

Selected physical and chemical properties of fresh spent mushroom compost were evaluated and compared to the properties of spent mushroom compost which was aged aerobically for 6 weeks. Bulk density, total pore space, total water at saturation, and percentage air space in fresh and aged spent composts were acceptable for plant growth. Both contained very high levels of soluble salts which were readily leachable. Concentrations of metals were acceptable, but concentrations of K, Ca, and Mg could lead to plant nutrient imbalances. Concentrations of NH 4 -N in fresh spent mushroom compost were high.

Soil reaction and exchangeable acidity

Article

Jan 1993

Forage fibre and analyses

Article

Soil sampling and methods of analysis

Article

Jan 2007

M.R. Carter

Soil science—Methods and applications

Article

Jan 1994

D.L. Rowell

Chemical and microbiological properties

Article

Jan 1965

Spent mushroom compost

Article

Jan 1991

“Forage Fiber Analysis

Article

Chemical analysis of agricultural materials

Article

Jan 1979

E. Byrne

The effects of land spreading and soil incorporation of spent mushroom compost on County Monaghan grassland soils

Article

Dec 2001

Of the 280,000 t of spent mushroom compost (SMC) produced annually in Ireland, 27% is produced in Co. Monaghan and 72% of this is spread on land. On account of the serious levels of environmental pollution which exist in Monaghan, a study was carried out to investigate the effects of surface spreading and incorporation into the soil of SMC on soil properties and grass growth. In Experiment 1, SMC was applied in spring at rates of 0, 16.5 and 49.5 t/ha to small plots of permanent grassland in Co. Monaghan. Three ages of SMC were used (fresh, aged outdoors for 6 months, and aged outdoors for 12 months) in a fully randomised factorial design with 10 replications of each application rate/age combination (90 plots). Herbage dry matter (DM) production was measured over the growing season, at the end of which soil was removed from all plots for physical and chemical analysis. In Experiment 2, SMC of the three ages used in Experiment I was incorporated in pots with surface soil from three areas of contrasting soil type and land use in Co. Monaghan at a rate of 49.5 t/ha. There was also an untreated control in a fully randomised factorial design with six replications of each age/soil combination (72 pots). Pots were sown with perennial ryegrass and, after an 8-month period, herbage DM production was measured and selected soil chemical parameters were evaluated. In Experiment 1, application of SMC led to increased (P < 0.05) levels of plant-available soil phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, soil pH and herbage DM production but did not affect plant-available soil calcium, percent organic carbon, electrical conductivity (EC), root mass in the upper 10 cm, bulk density or percent water-stable aggregates. Age of SMC had no effect on any of the variables measured. In Experiment 2, SMC amendment affected (P < 0.05) plant-available soil phosphorus, pH, EC, and herbage DM production. Interaction effects suggested that application of well-aged SMC may give rise to unacceptably high plant-available soil phosphorus levels on high-pH soils and susceptibility to drought on sandy soils.

Composition, Use and Legislation of Spent Mushroom Substrate in the Netherlands

Article

Jun 1994
COMPOST SCI UTIL

J.P.G. Gerrits

In The Netherlands, 760,000 metric tons of Spent Mushroom Substrate (sold under the name Champost) were produced in 1993. The annual production is still rising. Analytical data concerning fertilizer elements like N, P, K, Ca and Mg, show that the composition of SMS has been fairly constant since the mid sixties. However, the last few years, dry matter, ash and phosphate content are decreasing due to reduced composting time and cropping cycle. Heavy metals and arsenic were not analyzed until 1983. In connection with manure surpluses in The Netherlands, a ‘Decree Use of Animal Manure’ was laid down as part of the Soil Protection Act, which dates from 1986. The Decree regulates the maximum quantity of manure that may be used, based on its phosphate content. The rules will be accentuated in the next few years. Since 1993, SMS falls under another item of the Soil Protection Act, the ‘Decree Use and Quality of Other Organic Fertilizers,’ controlling sewage sludge and all kinds of composts. The quantity that may be used depends on phosphate and heavy metal content. The total load of heavy metals, supplied per hectare, is controlled by limiting the amount of dry matter. Each year, 6 metric tons of dry matter may be used per hectare, provided that the compost is ‘clean’. To check phosphate and heavy metals, samples have to be analyzed regularly. In 1993, 620 samples have been analyzed. All compost fell within the category ‘clean’ and 17% was even characterized as ‘very clean.’ Production of vegetable, fruit and garden waste, a type of compost very competitive to SMS, is strongly increasing. Alternative ways of disposal of SMS will be discussed briefly.

Biostatistics: A Foundation For Analysis In The Health Sciences

Article

Mar 1988

Wayne W. Daniel

Chemical, Physical and Microbiological Considerations in Recycling Spent Mushroom Substrate

Article

Jul 2013
COMPOST SCI UTIL

Spent mushroom substrates (SMS) have traditionally been discarded as wastes, creating an environmental nuisance. In recent years, mushroom growers all over the world are facing increasing pressure of environmental legislation, giving rise to the need for a more suitable solution for the disposal of SMS. At the same time, there is an increasing demand for organic residues and composts, which could provide several potential outlets for SMS. Agriculture, horticulture, soil reclamation projects and projects for the purification of contaminated soil, water and air are examples of such outlets. Each demands its own specific properties for the organic product. These properties are defined by chemical, physical and biological parameters. SMS should be treated to suit the specific demand of each outlet. The manipulation of SMS, mainly by recomposting, could produce products with several advantages over other recycled wastes. Such products could be used successfully to solve agronomic or environmental problems, while generating more income for the mushroom growers.

Compositional analysis of neutral detergent, acid detergent, lignin and humus fractions of mushroom compost

Article

Aug 1996
THERMOCHIM ACTA

Shekhar Sharma

The fibre present in mushroom compost samples was separated by a standard method of selective hydrolysis into three components: acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and lignin. Results of differential thermogravimetric (DTG) analysis of these fractions suggest that with NDF the matrix polysaccharides were detected as a shoulder to the cellulose peak and that structural hemicelluloses pyrolysed before the lignin decomposition peak. However, in ADF, only cellulose and lignin pyrolysis peaks were detected and a hemicellulose decomposition peak or shoulder was not present. In the lignin there were two pyrolysis peaks which represented residual polysaccharides and lignin. Thermograms of humus which had been separated from the compost by ultrasonic treatment showed that microbial polysaccharides and phenolic compounds were the main components. Lignin and humus contained high concentrations of nitrogen compared with the other fractions. Comparison of thermograms of uncomposted wheat straw and straw from compost showed that straw cell-wall components were altered by fermentation.

The Practical Handbook of Compost Engineering

Article

Jan 1993

R. T. Haug

Managing Spent Mushroom Compost

Article

Jan 2000

Spent mushroom compost as an organic manure and potting compost component

Jan 1988

Maher

Maher, M.J., 1988. Spent mushroom compost as an organic manure and potting compost component. In: Bidlingmaier, W., L'Hermite, P. (Eds.), Proceedings – Compost Processes in Waste Management, Monastery of Neresheim (FRG) 13–15 September 1988. CEC, Brussels, pp. 71–82.

Official Methods of Analysis Soluble salt Methods of Soil Analysis Part II, Chemical Methods

Jan 1965
933-951

Anon Horowitz
Dc Washington
C A Bower
L V Wilcox

Anon, 2003. Mushroom Newsletter. Teagasc, Dublin. AOAC, 1995. Official Methods of Analysis. Horowitz, Washington, DC. Bower, C.A., Wilcox, L.V., 1965. Soluble salt. In: Black, C.A. (Ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis Part II, Chemical Methods. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI, pp. 933–951.

Cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel

Jan 1993
101

Soon

Soon, Y.K., Abboud, S., 1993. Cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel. In:

Analytical methods - flame atomic adsorption spectrometry. Publication number 85-100009-00

Varian

Varian, 1989. Analytical methods – flame atomic adsorption spectrometry. Publication number 85-100009-00. Varian Australia Pty. Ltd., Victo-ria, Australia.

The use of spent mushroom compost in vegetable production

Jan 1981
111

Male

Male, R.T., 1981. The use of spent mushroom compost in vegetable production. Mushroom Science 6, 111–121.

Effects of spent mushroom compost on the production of greenhouse-grown crops

Jan 1987

Dallon

Dallon, J., 1987. Effects of spent mushroom compost on the production of greenhouse-grown crops. In: Combined proceedings of the Interna-tional Plant Propagators Society, 37. Ramapo college of New Jersey, Jersey, USA, pp. 323–329.

Spent Mushroom Compost – Options for Use

Jan 1993
1-44

M J Maher
J J Lenehan
W P Staunton

Maher, M.J., Lenehan, J.J., Staunton, W.P., 1993. Spent Mushroom Compost – Options for Use. Teagasc, Dublin, pp. 1–44.

Chemical characterisation of plant tissue Soil Sampling and Methods of Analysis

Jan 1993
115-139

J E Richards

Richards, J.E., 1993. Chemical characterisation of plant tissue. In: Carter, M.R. (Ed.), Soil Sampling and Methods of Analysis. Canadian Society of Soil Science, pp. 115–139.

SPSS for Windows (Version 11) Mush-room compost as a soil amendment for vegetable gardens

Jan 1989
108-111

Chicago Stephens
J M Henry
G C Castro
B F Bennett

SPSS, 2002. SPSS for Windows (Version 11). Chicago. Stephens, J.M., Henry, G.C., Castro, B.F., Bennett, D.L., 1989. Mush-room compost as a soil amendment for vegetable gardens. Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society 102, 108–111.

Spent mushroom compost, a possible growing medium ingredient? In: Compost production, quality and use. Proceedings of a symposium organised by the commission of the European communities, directorate – general science, research and development

Jan 1986
17-19

V G Devonald

Devonald, V.G., 1987. Spent mushroom compost, a possible growing medium ingredient? In: Compost production, quality and use. Proceedings of a symposium organised by the commission of the European communities, directorate – general science, research and development, Udine, Italy, 17–19 April 1986. Elsevier, London, UK, pp. 785–791.

Proceedings of a symposium organised by the commission of the European communities, directorate - general science, research and development

V G Devonald

Comparison of compost standards within the EU, North America and Australia

Jan 2002

Hogg

An international look at compost standards

Jan 2001
74

Briton

Chemical characterisation of plant tissue

Jan 1993
115

Richards

Composition variability of spent mushroom compost in Ireland

Abstract

No full-text available

Recommendations

Multispec

Degradation of Biomacromolecules during High-Rate Composting of Wheat Straw–Amended Feces

Biotechnological applications of coffee processing by-products

Compositional analysis of neutral detergent, acid detergent, lignin and humus fractions of mushroom...

Effect of the composting system of hickory shell on the degradation of lignocellulose

Conversion of agricultural and industrial wastes into fungal protein