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Supplementation in mushroom crops and its impact on yield and quality

Summary

Mushroom farmers can increase their harvest and improve mushroom quality by adding nutritional supplements to the growing medium. These supplements can be made from common agricultural waste products like grain bran and soybean meal, making them affordable and environmentally friendly. New research shows that beneficial bacteria and fungi might also boost mushroom production, offering sustainable alternatives to traditional chemical supplements.

Background

Mushroom supplementation is an agronomic practice involving the addition of nutritional amendments to substrates used in mushroom cultivation. Different nitrogen and carbohydrate-rich supplements have been evaluated with substantial impacts on yield and quality, though controversy remains regarding optimal nutritional requirements and the need for new commercial additives.

Objective

This mini-review compiles recent advances on substrate supplementation in mushroom cultivation to provide guidance on agronomical aspects and to evaluate nutritional requirements of different mushroom crops and their commercial viability.

Results

Various supplements including defatted vegetable meals, cereal brans, and agricultural wastes significantly improved yield and quality across multiple mushroom species. Spent mushroom compost can be recycled with supplements to support new crop cycles. Bioinoculants show promise as an alternative or complementary approach to traditional nutritional supplementation.

Conclusion

Mushroom supplementation is a cost-effective agronomic practice to improve yield and quality, though technical and economic factors limit its global adoption. Future research should focus on developing bioinoculant-based supplements and deepening knowledge of the mushroom microbiome to optimize production and support circular economy principles.
  • Published in:AMB Express,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 30229415, DOI: 10.1186/s13568-018-0678-0
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