This article investigated the mycochemical profiles and the antioxidant activities of the lipophilic extracts of the white and brown button mushrooms. We found that only free ergosterols were present in both mushrooms at 2.04-4.82 mg/g dry matter (DM). Ergosterol concentration was higher in early growth stages but decreased as the mushrooms grew, and it distributed evenly between the caps and stems during early developmental stages but accumulated more in the caps after maturation. The photochemiluminescence (PCL) values of the two mushrooms were 5.49-10.48 nmol trolox equivalent/mg DM, and the EC50 values of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay ranged 20.19-41.49 mg DM/μg DPPH. The ergosterol content positively correlated with the antioxidant activities (r2>0.89). The total fatty acid content was 8.7 mg/g DM in the white and 5.1 mg/g DM in the brown button mushroom and contained mainly linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Our data provide guidance for optimized harvesting time of mushrooms and maximized health benefits.

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`Eight deciduous ornamental shrubs-deutzia (Deutzia gracilis Siebold & Zucc.), dogwood (Cornus alba L. `Argenteo-marginata'), forsythia (Forsythia × intermedia Zab. `Lynwood Gold'), ninebark [Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim.], potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa L. `Red Ace'), privet (Ligustrum vulgare L.), rose (Rosa L. `John Frank. lin'), and weigela [Weigela florida (Bunge) A. DC. `Variegata Nana']—were grown in trickle-irrigated containers with 100% bark (control) or with bark and 33%, 67%, and 100% (by volume) of each of three sources of spent mushroom compost (unweathered, weathered, and unweathered compost leached with water). Despite large variation in species growth response to sources and levels of compost, most grew equally well or better in the compost-amended regimes than in 100% bark and were influenced little, or not at all, by initial or prevailing salt levels in the media. Shoot and root dry weight of dogwood, forsythia, ninebark, rose, and weigela (all sources), and shoot dry weight of deutzia and potentilla (weathered source only), increased linearly or curvilinearly with increasing compost levels. The reverse relationship occurred (all sources) in shoot and root dry weight of privet and root dry weight of weigela and potentilla. Leaf nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, and Zn) tended to increase with increasing compost levels, but not all species showed this response with all nutrients. Regardless of compost source or level, all shrubs were of marketable quality when harvested, except privet, which showed leaf chlorosis in all compost-amended regimes.

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