Abstract

The effect of passive aeration on substrate quality, composting period and yield was studied using different perforated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes arrangements, as a composting method for substrate preparation to Agaricus bisporus cultivation. The ingredients are, mixture of wheat straw (60%), wheat bran (5.5%), chicken manure (31%), urea (0.5%) and gypsum (3%) with initial moisture (75%) used for composting. It was demonstrated that passive aeration is the key parameter controlling composting process, shortened the compost period, enhance the substrate quality and Agaricus yield as of pile composting. The substrate physico-chemical characteristics that is, moisture content, temperature pattern, bulk density, pH, electric conductivity, C: N ratio and thermophilic fungi activity varied significantly with composting period. The parallel arrangement (10% perforations) was found best among all the passive aeration treatments for achieving the quality substrate in shortest composting period of 16 day and enhance the A. bisporus yield up to 27.6%. This study also opens possibility to cultivate A. bisporus on a lingo-cellulosic, non-pasteurized, non-conditioned, aerated substrate and that composting for 16 days improve the mushroom yield with minimum energy, labor and infrastructure.

Key words: Agaricus bisporus, physico-chemical characteristics, composting, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe, passive aeration, thermophilic fungi.