Alireza Ranaee; Mahdi Mokhtari; Hosein Alidadi; Mohammad Hasan Ehrampoush
Abstract
Background and objective: Mushroom cultivation has recently been developing in Iran with a production level of 90 tons per year.Approximately 5 kg of waste is generated by producing one kilogram of button mushrooms.These wastes could be refined by using vermicompost technology converting them into valuable ...
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Background and objective: Mushroom cultivation has recently been developing in Iran with a production level of 90 tons per year.Approximately 5 kg of waste is generated by producing one kilogram of button mushrooms.These wastes could be refined by using vermicompost technology converting them into valuable organic fertilizers to replace chemical fertilizers as a way to achieve sustainability. This study aimed toconvert button mushroom production wastes into manure and investigate the chemical properties and quality of this fertilizer. Methods: Such wastes as rotten mushrooms, spent mushroom compost (SMC) and peat are generated during the cultivation process of button mushrooms in large quantities. In this study, SMC was vermicomposted in an optimized process of treatment with wood chips, rotten mushrooms, carrot scum and leaves. Quantitative and qualitative indicators and their changes were investigated during six weeks. The obtained results were compared with the National Standards of Vermicompost (No. 13724) and the overall quality was determined in the final product. We used the SPSS software and Pearson’s correlation coefficient at the significance level of 0.05 in order to examine the correlation between the inorganic materialsand changes in other parameters. In addition, Linear Regression Analysis was used to determine the relationship between the studied variables. Results: The results of this study indicated that the Total Organic Carbon (TOC), potassium and total nitrogen in all the treatments increased with time. However, pH and electrical conductivity (EC) levels declined during the vermicomposting process. Furthermore, a significant increase was observed in the C/N ratio in all the treatments by the end of the six‐week period. Therefore, all the fertilizers were classified as Grade one. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, vermicompost process could enhance the indicators of organic fertilizers derived from vermicompost beds. Thus, this method could be suitable for the wastemanagement of button mushroom production in order to achieve a sustainable agriculture. Paper Type: Research Article