The biomass of 18 strains of Agaricus subrufescens and of 13 strains of Agaricus bisporus was chemically analyzed using solid-state (13)C NMR. The study focused on polysaccharides because they can play a major role as antitumor molecules. The study also examined whether biomass chemical properties varied between the vegetative mycelium and the fruiting bodies of A. subrufescens, and these data were compared with the mycelium of A. bisporus. Qualitative differences between vegetative mycelia and fruiting bodies were observed, whereas quantitative differences were measured between the two species with a higher percentage of polysaccharides in the biomass of A. subrufescens. This Agaricus species is thus an interesting potential source of polysaccharides with medicinal properties, both from vegetative mycelium obtained in liquid cultures and from fruiting bodies produced on composts.

Storage conditions of the spawn of edible fungi are of major importance to facilitate the production of mushrooms. Here, standard storage conditions at 10°C or 15°C were used and the potential of colonization of standard European compost by the tropical species Agaricus subrufescens was assessed during the spawn running phase. Two lignocellulolytic activities, laccase and CMC-cellulase, were enhanced after storage compared to control as well as substrate transformation, as described by the aromaticity ratio and a humification ratio calculated from NMR data. This result indicates that mycelium growth probably occurred during storage at 10 or 15°C, leading to a larger amount of biomass in the inoculum. Moreover, the microbial functional diversity of the substrate was favored, showing that the electivity of the substrate was maintained. Thus, these findings indicate that recommendations for the mushroom producers can be established for A. subrufescens cultivation under European standard conditions.