TY - EJOU
AU - Zhang, Hengdong
AU - Wang, Rongji
AU - Zhang, Jianchong
AU - Zhang, Fali
AU - He, Zhiwang
TI - Direct Application of Fresh Spent Mushroom Substrates Enhances Rice Grain Yields
T2 - Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany
PY - 2026
VL - 95
IS - 3
SN - 1851-5657
AB - Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), the residual byproduct of mushroom cultivation, represents a nutrient-rich agro-residues with potential for paddy field application. This study evaluated the effect of direct SMS application on rice yield, yield components, biomass production, and nitrogen uptake (NU), aiming to provide useful information for fresh SMS utilization in paddy. Field experiments were conducted using a split-plot design with three replications, three SMS rates (0, 9, and 18 t ha−1 dry matter) as the main plots and three nitrogen (N) (0, 90, 180 kg ha−1) as subplots in 2023 and 2024. Each plot was planted with rice cultivars Jingliangyou-534 (2023–2024) and Yongyou-1540 (2024). Results indicated that SMS application (9 and 18 t ha−1) significantly increased nitrogen content in straw and grain at maturity by 8.54%–41.42% and 1.71%–16.27%, respectively. Correspondingly, NU in straw, grain, and aboveground increased by 11.85%–92.81%, 11.22%–43.59%, and 11.28%–53.18%, respectively. Aboveground biomass, panicles per m2 and spikelets per panicle increased by 6.83%–27.66%, 0.44%–24.54%, and 5.01%–13.26%, respectively; no consistent effects were observed on setting rate for either cultivar across both years. Grain yield improved by 4.70%–23.57%, compared with no SMS application. These findings provide preliminary evidence that fresh SMS (≤18 t ha−1 dry matters) can be applied directly, without composting, as a convenient and effective strategy to enhance rice productivity, though further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying increased N uptake.
KW - Spent mushroom substrate; direct application; rice; yield; nitrogen uptake
DO - 10.32604/phyton.2026.077976