Cultivation of Pleurotus spp. on a combination of anaerobically digested plant material and various agro-residues

• Value addition of biomass fed biogas plant using BDR for mushroom cultivation
• Reducing payback period of biogas plant to 180 days using the BDR as a substrate for mushroom cultivation
• BDR with agro-residues can increases the yield and biological efficiency by 200–300%.
• Nitrogen conservation using BDR for mushroom cultivation which otherwise applied to soil, majority of it would be lost by the processes of nitrification and denitrification.
• Effective nutrient recycling (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus)

Two species of Pleurotus, Pleurotus florida and Pleurotus flabellatus were cultivated on two agro-residues (paddy straw; PS and coir pith; CP) singly as well as in combination with biogas digester residue (BDR, main feed leaf biomass). The biological efficiency, nutritional value, composition and nutrient balance (C, N and P) achieved with these substrates were studied. The most suitable substrate that produced higher yields and biological efficiency was PS mixed with BDR followed by coir pith with BDR. Addition of BDR with agro-residues could increase mushroom yield by 20–30%. The biological efficiency achieved was high for PS + BDR (231.93% for P. florida and 209.92% for P. flabellatus) and for CP + BDR (148.31% for P. florida and 188.46% for P. flabellatus). The OC (organic carbon), TKN (nitrogen) and TP (phosphate) removal of the Pleurotus spp. under investigation suggests that PS with BDR is the best substrate for growing mushroom.