Mycodegradation of reed straw, Phragmites australis

Abstract

The reed plant (Phragmites australis) is available as an economical alternative to wheat straw, when the last substrate is unavailable or has a high price, to apply it in the preparing compost for the cultivation of white button mushroom Agaricus bisporus X25. Reed straw compost recorded the best total yield (441 g/tray) compared with 371 g/tray by the wheat straw compost (control). Also, use of Actinomycetes Streptomyces sp. in the biodegradation processes of compost, lead to increase the total yield of A. bisporus X25 to 430 g/tray compared with the microbiologically nontreated composts (376 g/tray), after 21 days from primordia appearance significantly (p<0.05). Quality and size of fruiting bodies were varied from compost to another one depended on diameter of cap (pileus) and length of stipe. The more significant diameter had been recorded 56 mm for fruits on reed straw compost while the lower diameter was 42 mm on fruits of the control compost (wheat straw compost).