Sustainable Recycling of Mushroom Residue as an Effective Substitute for Cotton Hull Waste in Volvariella volvacea Cultivation: Evidence from Physicochemical and Microbiome Analyses

This research shows that mushroom waste left over from growing mushrooms can be successfully recycled as a growing medium for straw mushrooms, similar to the traditional cotton hull waste currently used. The recycled mushroom residue produces mushrooms of equivalent quality and quantity but costs much less to purchase. By analyzing the microscopic bacterial communities in the compost, scientists found that different bacteria help break down the organic matter in both types of substrates, supporting efficient mushroom growth.