Effects of Adding Thermally Treated Penicillin Mycelial Dreg on the Lignocellulose Degradation, Fungal Diversity, and Fertilizer Efficiency of Compost

• Published in: Waste and biomass valorization Vol. 14; no. 6; pp. 1879 - 1889
• Main Authors: Ren, Jianjun, Xu, Chuanbao, Li, Chunyu, Deng, Liujie, Dong, Liping, Wang, Chongqing, Huhe, Taoli, Niu, Dongze
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.06.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biodegradation; Carbon/nitrogen ratio; Cattle manure; Cellulose; Composting; Composts; Corn; Degradation; Efficiency; Engineering; Environment; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Fertilizers; Fungi; Heat treatment; Hemicellulose; Industrial Pollution Prevention; Lignocellulose; Mycelia; Original Paper; Penicillin; Renewable and Green Energy; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Bulking agent; Composting; Pot experiment; Penicillin mycelial dreg; Fungal diversity
• ISSN: 1877-2641; 1877-265X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12649-022-01985-6

Purpose Combining thermal treatment and composting with bulking agents is a safe and effective method to dispose of penicillin mycelial dreg (PMD), but the effects of adding thermally treated PMD (HT-PMD) on lignocellulose degradation, fungal diversity, and fertilizer efficiency are still unclear. Methods The mixture of maize straw and cattle manure was composted alone (CK) or with HT-PMD at low (T1) and high levels (T2). Samples during the 52 days of composting were taken for the analysis of physicochemical parameters, fungal diversity, and fertilizer efficiency using a pot experiment. Results Adding HT-PMD significantly decreased the K, Ca, hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin contents and C/N ratio ( P  < 0.05), but increased the PO 4 3− , SO 4 2− , and Zn contents. The cellulose content of CK kept decreasing throughout the 52 days of composting, but that of T1 and T2 increased before 19 and 26 days, respectively. The rapid degradation of hemicellulose and cellulose in CK and T1 was between 19 and 26 days, but that of T2 began after 26 days. Mycothermus, Remersonia, Coprinopsis , and Aspergillus dominated the samples of CK on day 19, and Sodiomyces and Microascus were the main genera of T1. In the pot experiment, composts of T1 resulted in the highest stem diameter, plant height, leaf number, and dry weight of maize, which increased by 65.9%, 77.8%, 46.2%, and 351.9%, respectively. Conclusion Adding HT-PMD balanced the composition of nutrient elements and improved the fertilizer efficiency, but decreased the degradation rate of cellulose and hemicellulose. Graphical Abstract