Potential utilization of spent Agaricus bisporus mushroom substrate for seedling production and organic fertilizer in tomato cultivation

ABSTRACT The production of Agaricus bisporus results in significant residual material after cultivation. Due to its physical properties and nutrient content Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS) has great potential for use in agriculture. Our study evaluated the feasibility of using SMS as an alternative substrate for the production of Paronset® hybrid tomato seedlings and as an organic fertilizer in its production. To conduct the fruit production experiment, the plots consisted of three types of fertilizers (SMS of A. bisporus, NPK and bovine manure) with four replications. The seedlings produced in the SMS presented higher rates of germination time and speeds, and stood out from the other substrates in the evaluation of seedling quality. In the tomato fruit production phase, the average production of the plants originating from the SMS was 20% higher than the seedlings from the commercial substrate. The plants cultivated with the SMS presented higher production than the plants cultivated with bovine manure incorporated the soil. According to our results, The SMS was as good as the commercial substrates tested. Therefore, the SMS can be recommended for the growth and nutrition of seedling production and denotes potential viability for use in the tomato production cycle in its different phases.