Abstract
Peat moss (PM) is the most widely used growing substrate for the pot culture. Due to diminishing availability and increasing price of PM, researchers are looking for viable alternatives for peat as a growth media component for potted plants. A pot study was conducted with a view to investigate the possibility of using spent mushroom waste (SMW) for Kai-lan (Brassica oleracea var. Alboglabra) production replacing peat moss (PM) in growth media. The treatments evaluated were 100% PM (control), 100% SMW, and mixtures of SMW and PM in different ratios like 1 : 1, 1 : 2, and 2 : 1 (v/v) with/without NPK amendment. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with five replications per treatment. Chemical properties like pH and salinity level (EC) of SMW were within the acceptable range of crop production but, nutrient content, especially nitrogen content was not enough to provide sufficient nutrition to plant for normal growth. Only PM (100%) and SMW and PM mixture in 1 : 1 ratio with NPK amendment performed equally in terms of Kai-lan growth. This study confirms the feasibility of replacing PM by SMW up to a maximum of 50% in the growth media and suggests that NPK supplementation from inorganic sources is to ensure a higher productivity of Kai-lan.
Highlights
When Spent mushroom waste (SMW) was mixed with peat moss (PM) in different ratios, pH values were higher as compared with 100% PM but lower as compared with 100% SMW
Mixture of SMW and PM in equal volume resulted in increasing pH and electrical conductivity (EC) values compared to 100% PM, which might be due to a dilution effect
It is feasible to use spent mushroom waste as a growth medium substrate to replace peat moss for pot culture of Kai-lan provided that chemical fertilizers are supplemented to avoid nutrient deficiency
Summary
Mushrooms are produced on natural materials obtained from agriculture, woodlands, animal husbandry, and manufacturing industries [2]. Some of these wastes include saw dust, banana leaves, peanut hull, corn leaves and husks, sugarcane leaves, rice and wheat straw, cotton wastes, paper wastes, cocoa shells, wheat, bedded horse manure, and various other wastes [3, 4]. The SMW contains nutrients which could be used for the growth of plants These materials are generally nontoxic to plants and could be employed as soil amendment for different crops [6]. A positive impact of using SMW as a growing substrate component on the productivity and quality of different vegetables and other horticultural crops has been confirmed by many researchers worldwide [7, 11, 13,14,15]
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