Monitoring of Changes in Substrate Characteristics during Mushroom Compost Production

Abstract

Substrates from three mushroom compost facilities in Northern Ireland, employing similar production technologies, were examined to assess the quality of the compost produced. Biochemical investigation highlighted changes in substrates through each step of the production cycle. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) provided useful information on fiber fraction content and extent of substrate breakdown. A comparison of productivity, chemical, and thermal data permitted assessment of the degree of bioconversion that had occurred in the decomposition from raw materials to finished substrate for each composter. One of the composters consistently produced substrate of inferior quality compared to the other two, indicating production inefficiencies during composting. Results demonstrated that allied to chemical analyses, TGA is a useful tool, providing valuable information on substrate quality and, in particular, for studying the bioconversion of lignocellulosic materials in mushroom compost.

Optimization of substrate preparation for oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) cultivation by studying different raw materials and substrate preparation conditions (composting: phases I and II)

“…Biological substrate transformation during composting process can be monitored by physicochemical analysis such as, organic matter, pH, C/N ratio, soluble sugars, crude energy, temperature, among others (Sharma et al 2000;Lyons et al 2006). Temperature measurement during composting (phase I) indicates an intense microbial activity (Fig.…”

Environmental impact of mushroom compost production

“…During the process, the ventilation times are set according to the compost's characteristics, which will influence the CO 2 concentration; it is higher when the turbines remain on. During the composting process, critical parameters such as temperature or humidity must be controlled in addition to other parameters such as pH, nitrogen and ash levels and the C/N ratio as well as quality indicators and the compost productivity . The carbon‐to‐nitrogen (C/N) ratio is essential for the proper development of the decomposition process parameter.…”

“…During the composting process, critical parameters such as temperature or humidity wileyonlinelibrary.com/jsfa must be controlled in addition to other parameters such as pH, nitrogen and ash levels and the C/N ratio as well as quality indicators and the compost productivity. 25 The carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio is essential for the proper development of the decomposition process parameter. It describes the ratio of the mass of carbon to the mass of nitrogen in an organic material.…”

Methodological interference of biochar in the determination of extracellular enzyme activities in composting samples

“…The different nature of the organic matter at different stages of the biodegradable process and the property of the recalcitrant biochar was assessed by thermogravimetry (Lyons et al, 2006;Tsui and Juan, 2010;Manya et al, 2013). Basically, the TGS-DSC diagrams are characterized by two main mass losses, showing two exothermic peaks, and these correspond respectively to the volatilization of light compounds such as aliphatic molecules or carbohydrates and another to the oxidation of high molecular weight components (Fig.…”