Project Overview
Commodities
- Animals: goats, sheep
- Animal Products: meat
- Miscellaneous: mushrooms
Practices
- Animal Production: animal protection and health, parasite control
- Crop Production: nutrient management
- Soil Management: composting, soil quality/health
Abstract:
The rapid expansion of global agriculture continues to generate large volumes of lignocellulosic crop residues that remain underutilized despite their high potential for recycling into productive resources. Biological recycling through mushroom cultivation offers an effective strategy to convert these residues into value-added products while promoting ecological sustainability. White-rot fungi such as Pleurotus spp. possess powerful ligninolytic enzymes capable of transforming agricultural waste into nutritious mushroom fruiting bodies with documented medicinal properties, including activity against gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasites. Following harvest, the resulting spent mushroom substrate (SMS)-rich in organic matter, minerals, bioactive compounds, and beneficial microbial communities-retain considerable value as feed, organic fertilizer, and soil amendment that enhances soil health, nutrient availability, and water-holding capacity. These attributes make mushroom-based bio recycling a promising approach for small and limited-resource farmers seeking low-cost, renewable inputs for sustainable production.
This study evaluated the agronomic, nutritional, and nematocidal potential of SMS within a lettuce production system. Two Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivars-Amadeus and Salivus were grown under greenhouse and field conditions using soil-SMS media with or without NPK (10-10-10) fertilizer. Morphological parameters (head height, root length, biomass), chlorophyll content, and yield were measured alongside proximate and chemical analyses of the substrates. Nematocidal assays were conducted using mushroom and SMS extracts against Haemonchus contortus eggs and larvae. Media enriched with SMS, particularly in combination with NPK, significantly enhanced chlorophyll concentration, plant vigor, and yield compared with soil-only controls, with stronger responses observed under greenhouse conditions. SMS also improved nutrient composition of the growing media, while mushroom and SMS extracts demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of nematode egg hatch and larval development.
Education and outreach activities, including farmer demonstrations, student training, and resource development-further supported the adoption of sustainable bio recycling practices. Overall, integrating SMS into vegetable production systems offers a renewable, environmentally friendly strategy that enhances crop performance, reduces reliance on synthetic fertilizers, promotes soil health, and provides natural biocontrol benefits. The findings lay a foundation for expanded research and broader implementation of mushroom-based bio recycling and waste valorization across the southern United States and beyond.
Project objectives:
- Evaluate the effect of varying soil-SMS media compositions, with and without NPK (10-10-10) fertilizer, on the growth and yield of two Romaine lettuce cultivars (Amadeus and Salvius) under greenhouse and field conditions.
- Determine which cultivar-media combination maximizes morphological development and biomass yield of Romaine lettuce.
- Evaluate the chemical and nutritional quality of mushroom, substrate and spent mushroom
- Determine the ability of mushroom and SMS extracts to act as nematicides against the gastrointestinal nematode parasite Haemonchus contortus in small ruminants.