Immobilisation as a strategy to increase the ecological competence of liquid cultures of Agaricus bisporus in pasteurised compost

Abstract

This study investigated the applicability of an immobilisation technique based on cell entrapment in a polymer gel (sodium alginate) as a strategy to increase the ecological competence of liquid cultures (liquid spawn) of Agaricus bisporus in pasteurised compost. This delivery system had a shorter adaptation (lag) period and a higher growth rate in pasteurised compost than both liquid spawn and the conventional grain spawn. The ecological competence of this delivery system was attributed to the high biomass loading capacity of these beads, mycelial protection in the bead microenvironment and the spatial distribution of the beads in the macroenvironment. Exploitation of this delivery system depends on both commercial product parameters and on the genetic stability of the inoculum.