Beneficial uses grant progress

Mushroom News, Nov, 2007 by Joseph G. Poppiti

In 2007, the Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS) Research Committee secured a second grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) to continue the research, educational efforts and marketing of SMS that began in 2006.

SMS versus Mushroom Compost

Many of the SMS end users that the committee members worked with in 2006 in Pennsylvania and surrounding states, whether they were farmers, landscapers or mulch suppliers, questioned the use of the word "spent." The committee agreed to use the nomenclature, "Mushroom Compost" for the purpose of marketing SMS.

Mushroom Compost Display

In 2007, the committee developed a new display promoting the economic benefits of mushroom compost that can be taken to meetings, trade shows and agricultural events. This display was first introduced at the 49th Mushroom Industry Conference at the Pennsylvania State University in June. The display was also the centerpiece of the AMI booth at the PA Green Expo Trade Show at the PA Farm Show Complex in July. It was exhibited again at the 2007 Pennsylvania Statewide Conference on Abandoned Mine Reclamation (AMR) in State College, PA, also in July. In addition, the display was part of the exhibit at the 2007 Ag Progress Days at Penn State's Rock Springs farm and the 2007 Ag Showcase Day at the Cecil County (Maryland) Fair.

Promotional Brochures

Dr. Mike Fidanza, Associate Professor of Horticulture at Penn State, with the assistance of committee members, collected random samples of fresh mushroom compost from 30 farms in Chester and Berks Counties, PA in 2006. This analysis listed what essential plant nutrients were present in the compost. The information was the focal point of three brochures (at right) developed for publication.

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The brochures describe the agricultural products that make up Phase I compost for growing mushrooms. Each pamphlet has the top 10 reasons to use mushroom compost for different applications. The brochures also highlight usage rates and the relative value of the compost as compared to commercial inorganic fertilizer. These color, tri-fold pamphlets are available to all AMI members.

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Web Site

The committee established a new Web site, www.mush room-compost.org as an alternate resource for published research reports and beneficial uses of mushroom compost. The three brochures are also available on this Web site. The site will continue to be updated throughout the year as research reports are developed.

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RESEARCH

Soil analysis and crop production for field corn, sweet corn and vegetable production at Linvilla Orchard, Delaware County, PA, is being conducted by Dr. Fidanza. He took soil samples in the spring of 2007 prior to any mushroom compost applications in these crop fields. He will repeat this sampling in the spring of 2008 to evaluate the differences in soil nutrition.

Dr. Donald Davis, Penn State Professor of Plant Pathology, continues his 2006 research on the beneficial use of mushroom compost in wood mulch to suppress artillery fungus. The artillery fungi, which commonly live in wood landscape mulch, have become a plague for many homeowners due to the sticky spore masses that expel onto the sides of cars and light colored siding of houses. To date there is no chemical fungicide registered to control artillery fungi in wood landscaping mulch. The three-year study is an evaluation of the effectiveness of different rates of fresh mushroom compost added to wood landscape mulch to suppress the artillery fungi.

Dr. Elsa Sanchez, Penn State Assistant Professor of Horticultural Systems Management, is evaluating mushroom compost for nutrient management of pumpkin production. The study evaluates the material at three application rates and two different timings of applications in a nonorganic crop. This study is being conducted at the Horticulture Research Farm, at the Russell E. Larson Research Center in Rock Springs, PA. Pumpkins are Pennsylvania's second largest produce crop grown by acreage planted.

The number one complaint from users of this beneficial material is trash in the compost. The trash ranges from colored string from hay or straw bales, beverage containers, horse supplies (syringes, brushes, combs, shoes), plastic films, plastic mushroom tills, etc. To address this problem, Dr. Ken Lomax, Associate Professor of Bioresources Engineering at the University of Delaware, is researching a star-wheel separator to remove the trash so the material will be more marketable to farmers.

Mine Reclamation

Committee members are actively pursuing the use of mushroom compost in mine reclamation projects within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Beginning in October 2007, the Federal Government has committed $1.4 billion to Pennsylvania over the next 20 years for abandoned mine reclamation (land and water) projects. The committee met with Robert Hughes who directs the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR). Hughes has been the regional coordinator for the Coalition and Manager of the Lucerne County Conservation District's Abandoned Mine Reclamation (AMR) program for the past 10 years. He hosted this year's ARM conference and the Community Awareness Committee (CAC) was one of the main sponsors. The mushroom farm community was well received at this conference. The committee is arranging a tour of some of the 200,000 + acres of mine reclamation land in Pennsylvania.