International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture (Nov 2024)

Application of lignocellulolytic fungal consortium for quality composting of spent mushroom substrate: physicochemical parameters and maturity assessment of the end-products

  • Chiranjib Mili,
  • Pinky Rani Biswas,
  • Subham Saha,
  • Kumanand Tayung

DOI
https://doi.org/10.57647/ijrowa-2tn9-sn56

Abstract

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Purpose:The inappropriate disposal of agricultural residues including spent mushroom substrate (SMS) after harvesting leads to serious environmental issues. Microbial composting is a widely recognized method for the management of such residues in a sustainable manner. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the efficacy of lignocellulolytic fungal consortium (Pseudoplagiostoma eucalypti strain LLF10 and Purpureocillium lilacinum strain LLF22) on the composting of SMS. Method: The experiment consisted of two treatments- T0: only SMS, and T1: SMS+ fungal accelerator solution (FAS) + Fungal consortium. The composting process lasted for 42 days and physicochemical parameters were assessed. Results: The results displayed that the fungal consortium accelerated SMS composting as evidenced by the decrease in the C:N ratio, an increase in macronutrient contents (TN, TK, TP, TCa, TMg), coarseness index (CI), and germination index (GI) of the final compost (T1) over the control (T0). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis revealed the breakdown of aromatic and organic compounds in the final compost suggesting humification of SMS. Furthermore, the inoculation of the fungal consortium effectively induced a faster rise in temperature and pH. Conclusion: This study revealed that the lignocellulolytic fungal consortium can be a potential candidate for the bioconversion of agro-waste into high-quality compost for application in sustainable agricultural practices. Research Highlighta • Fungal consortium manifested quality composting of spent mushroom substrate (SMS). • Fungal consortium induced an early increase in temperature and pH in T1 than in T0. • The compost of T1 showed C:N reduction and an increase in macronutrient contents. • FTIR analysis revealed the breakdown of lignocellulosic properties of the SMS. • Coarseness index (CI), and germination index (GI) were higher in T1 over the T0.

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