Valorization of Hazelnut Shells as Growing Substrate for Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms

Recently, the cultivation of hazel is undergoing a large expansion. Italy is the world’s second largest producer of hazelnuts, with a production of around 98,530 tons in 2019. The processing of hazelnuts produces large amounts of waste, especially woody pericarps, due to the cracking process, genera...

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Main Authors: Federico Puliga, Pamela Leonardi, Francesco Minutella, Alessandra Zambonelli, Ornella Francioso
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-02-01
Series:Horticulturae
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/3/214
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author Federico Puliga
Pamela Leonardi
Francesco Minutella
Alessandra Zambonelli
Ornella Francioso
author_facet Federico Puliga
Pamela Leonardi
Francesco Minutella
Alessandra Zambonelli
Ornella Francioso
author_sort Federico Puliga
collection DOAJ
description Recently, the cultivation of hazel is undergoing a large expansion. Italy is the world’s second largest producer of hazelnuts, with a production of around 98,530 tons in 2019. The processing of hazelnuts produces large amounts of waste, especially woody pericarps, due to the cracking process, generally used for domestic heating, causing air pollution. The high lignin content present in the pericarps makes them a suitable substrate for the cultivation of edible and medicinal mushrooms. To this aim, <i>Ganoderma lucidum</i>, <i>Lentinula edodes,</i> and <i>Pleurotus cornucopiae</i> were grown and cultivated on different hazelnut-shell-based substrates: Hazelnut Shell (HS), Hazelnut Shell and Wheat Straw (HS-WS), and Wheat Straw mixed with Beech Chips (WS-BC) as control. In vitro mycelial grow rate, the degradation capacity of the lignocellulosic fraction, the biological efficiency, and the qualitative differences between mushrooms growing on different substrates by using Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy were investigated. Our results suggested the ability of <i>G. lucidum</i>, <i>L. edodes,</i> and <i>P. cornucopiae</i> to grow and decay the lignocellulosic fraction of HS. Cultivation trials showed a similar biological efficiency but a different Fruiting Body Production (FBP) in the presence of HS with respect to the control. ATR-FTIR analysis provided a chemical insight for the examined fruiting bodies, and differences were found among the substrates studied. These results provide attractive perspectives both for more sustainable management and for the improvement of mushroom cultivation efficiency.
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spelling doaj.art-7b90252dd3a54f4d8a9284b3859dd9c12023-11-24T01:25:24ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242022-02-018321410.3390/horticulturae8030214Valorization of Hazelnut Shells as Growing Substrate for Edible and Medicinal MushroomsFederico Puliga0Pamela Leonardi1Francesco Minutella2Alessandra Zambonelli3Ornella Francioso4Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 40-50, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 40-50, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 40-50, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 40-50, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 40-50, 40127 Bologna, ItalyRecently, the cultivation of hazel is undergoing a large expansion. Italy is the world’s second largest producer of hazelnuts, with a production of around 98,530 tons in 2019. The processing of hazelnuts produces large amounts of waste, especially woody pericarps, due to the cracking process, generally used for domestic heating, causing air pollution. The high lignin content present in the pericarps makes them a suitable substrate for the cultivation of edible and medicinal mushrooms. To this aim, <i>Ganoderma lucidum</i>, <i>Lentinula edodes,</i> and <i>Pleurotus cornucopiae</i> were grown and cultivated on different hazelnut-shell-based substrates: Hazelnut Shell (HS), Hazelnut Shell and Wheat Straw (HS-WS), and Wheat Straw mixed with Beech Chips (WS-BC) as control. In vitro mycelial grow rate, the degradation capacity of the lignocellulosic fraction, the biological efficiency, and the qualitative differences between mushrooms growing on different substrates by using Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy were investigated. Our results suggested the ability of <i>G. lucidum</i>, <i>L. edodes,</i> and <i>P. cornucopiae</i> to grow and decay the lignocellulosic fraction of HS. Cultivation trials showed a similar biological efficiency but a different Fruiting Body Production (FBP) in the presence of HS with respect to the control. ATR-FTIR analysis provided a chemical insight for the examined fruiting bodies, and differences were found among the substrates studied. These results provide attractive perspectives both for more sustainable management and for the improvement of mushroom cultivation efficiency.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/3/214sustainabilitymushroom cultivationwood fungiATR-FTIR
spellingShingle Federico Puliga
Pamela Leonardi
Francesco Minutella
Alessandra Zambonelli
Ornella Francioso
Valorization of Hazelnut Shells as Growing Substrate for Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms
Horticulturae
sustainability
mushroom cultivation
wood fungi
ATR-FTIR
title Valorization of Hazelnut Shells as Growing Substrate for Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms
title_full Valorization of Hazelnut Shells as Growing Substrate for Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms
title_fullStr Valorization of Hazelnut Shells as Growing Substrate for Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms
title_full_unstemmed Valorization of Hazelnut Shells as Growing Substrate for Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms
title_short Valorization of Hazelnut Shells as Growing Substrate for Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms
title_sort valorization of hazelnut shells as growing substrate for edible and medicinal mushrooms
topic sustainability
mushroom cultivation
wood fungi
ATR-FTIR
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/3/214
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AT francescominutella valorizationofhazelnutshellsasgrowingsubstrateforedibleandmedicinalmushrooms
AT alessandrazambonelli valorizationofhazelnutshellsasgrowingsubstrateforedibleandmedicinalmushrooms
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