Pleurotusmushrooms. Part III. Biotransformations of natural lignocellulosic wastes: Commercial applications and implications

Abstract

Species of Pleurotus are endowed with the capacity to degrade unfermented natural lignino-cellulosic wastes. From the time the substrate is spawned until the end of cropping, there occurs a spectrum of qualitative and quantitative changes in the various substrate constituents, viz., cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, sugars, amino acids, phenols, ash, nitrogen, etc. In general, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin are degraded, solubility of the substrate is increased, phenolic content is decreased, sugar and amino acid contents are increased, as is the ash content due to a constant utilization of the organic matter. The ability of Pleurotus to effect these degradative changes is discussed under both sterile (monoculture) and nonsterile culturing conditions. The enzymatic aspects affecting these various chemical changes in the lignino-cellulosic substrates are brought out. The various commercial applications and implications of the spent substrate, such as use as an upgraded form of ruminant feed, production of biogas, manufacture of paper/cardboard, recycling into Agaricus compost, garden fertilizer, production of single cell proteins, etc., are critically evaluated.

Tratamento do feno de braquiária pelo fungo Pleurotus ostreatus

“…A melhora na qualidade do material depende da espécie de fungo, da fração botânica estudada e da preparação prévia do substrato para degradação fúngica (Karunanandaa et al, 1996). Segundo Rajarathnam & Bano (1989), o pré-tratamento do substrato lignocelulósico tem grande influência na taxa de colonização por espécies de Pleurotus e, conseqüentemen-te, no aumento da solubilidade do substrato.…”

Development of an alternative technology for the oyster mushroom production using liquid inoculum

“…As described by Rajarathnam and Bano (1989), this is due to CO 2 and H 2 O loss during fungal metabolism, and, also to the elimination of some substrate materials in the production of fruiting bodies.…”

“…According to Bisaria et al (1987), the yield of fruiting bodies varies with the kind of the substrate used, but there is no relationship between cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin degradation and fruiting bodies yield. On the other hand, Rajarathnam and Bano (1989) consider that the higher capacity for lignocellulosic waste degradation implies a higher yield. This kind of relationship was not observed in our work: the highest degradation of cellulose and hemicellulose was observed with 10% liquid inoculum, while the highest yield was obtained with 5% solid inoculum, both after two harvests.…”

Oyster Mushroom : Answer to Human Ailments:a Review

“…Though oyster mushroom is the third important mushroom of culinary value, there has been a upsurge in Pleurotus mushroom research activities in the last two decades not only for its nutritional and medicinal values but also many other biopotentialities of Pleurotus species such recycling of comprehensive account of nutritional with some medicinal agricultural residues [12,14], bioconversion of lignoaspects of Pleurotus species [15,16], production or improved animal feed [17], bioremediation and biodegradation of xenobiotics [18,19], degradation of industrial dye [20,21], bioremediation [12,22], degradation of xenobiotics [23,24], bioconversion of lignocellulosic wastes [25], enzyme production [26,27], etc. Medicinal attributes of Pleurotus species are given below.…”