Mushroom compost A Presentation By Mr Allah Dad Khan Former Director General Agriculture Extension KPK Province and Visiting Professor the University of Agriculture Peshawar Pakistan

2. SPENT MUSHROOM COMPOST FOR CROP
PRODUCTION AND CROP PROTECTION
By
Mr
Allah Dad Khan

3.  Mushroom compost is a type of slow-release, organic
plant fertilizer.
 The compost is made by mushroom growers using
organic materials such as hay, straw, corn cobs and
hulls, and poultry or horse manure.
 Mushroom compost recipes may differ here and there

4.  For instance, additional materials like
gypsum, peat moss, lime, soybean meal, and
various other organic items may be added to
the compost as well.
 Once the mushroom spawn are mixed into the
compost, it is steam pasteurized to kill weed
seeds and any other harmful agents.

5. Mushroom composting takes about three to
four weeks to process, during which it is
monitored closely by mushroom growers to
maintain adequate temperatures. After the
process is complete, the leftover compost is
disposed of and sold as fertilizer.

6. Readily available
Weed free
Great source of organic matter (humus)
Offers excellent water holding capacity
Contains a variety of plant nutrients
Relatively consistent product

7. Inexpensive price when compared to higher
quality composts
Builds soil structure, especially in soils that
are high in clay or sand
Can often still be used to grow mushrooms
(assuming second steam sterilization didn't
occur)

8. Improve the structure of clay soils
Reduce surface crusting and compaction
 Promote drainage
Increase microbial activity
Provide nutrients to turf grasses.

9.  Used as soil amendment
for lawns, gardens, and
container plants.
 Promote faster turf
establishment, turf density
color, increased rooting,
and less need for fertilizer
and irrigation.

10.  M. compost has a high O M
content makes it a useful
material for soil improvement
and mulching
 Improve the soil around plants
 Tidy appearance
 Watering and weeding
 Protect the roots of plants in
winter

11.  Spent mushroom straw from which the
initial flush of mushrooms is harvested can
successfully be converted into fungal
protein and, consequently, a feedstock for
animals and fish.

12. Insect management
 Agaricus bisporus spent substrate: Effects
on Colorado potato beetles populations
 Vine weevil

13. Mushroom compost provides promising results
in suppressing root-knot nematodes in media
with high organic matter but not in those with
low organic matter.

14. Disease Management
 Spent mushroom compost extracts have proved
successful in the inhibition of the germination of
conidia of Venturia inaequalis, an apple scab pathogen
and
 treatment of broad bean plants (Vicia faba) ,
 damping-off disease of tomatoes,
 black root rot of cucumber

15. Purification of air
 Agaricus bisporus spent substrate: As mix with other
materials for removal of H2S or volatile organic
compounds
Purification of water
 Treatment of metal-contaminated water
treatment of waters polluted with radioactive
elements and heavy metals
Purification of soil
 Effect on zinc distribution, cadmium and lead among
soil fractions; amelioration of zinc toxicity