Chlorella Vulgaris Liquid Suspension Acts as A Natural Biostimulant Improving Growth Performance, Yield and Nutritional Quality of Agaricus Bisporus

The use of environmentally friendly biostimulants has gained increasing attention in sustainable mushroom cultivation. The present study evaluated the effect of a liquid suspension of the green microalga Chlorella vulgaris on the growth performance, yield and quality of white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). The experiment was conducted under controlled cultivation conditions using compost prepared from horse manure and wheat straw. Two treatments were established: a control without microalgal application and a treated variant in which a laboratory-grown Chlorella vulgaris suspension was applied during the mycelial growth stage at a rate of 15 L m⁻², replacing irrigation water. Each treatment was performed in three replicates. The results demonstrated that microalgal application significantly improved mushroom productivity. Yield increased from 14–16 kg per 100 kg compost in the control to 18–20 kg per 100 kg compost in the treated variant, representing an enhancement of approximately 25–30 %. Biological efficiency showed a similar increasing trend. In addition, application of Chlorella vulgaris shortened the time to first harvest by 3–4 days, indicating accelerated mycelial development. Improvements were also observed in morphological characteristics, including average fruit body weight and cap diameter, as well as in protein content of the harvested mushrooms. The findings suggest that early-stage application of liquid Chlorella vulgaris suspension acts as an effective natural biostimulant, enhancing substrate utilization efficiency and overall mushroom performance. This approach offers a promising, sustainable strategy for improving productivity in commercial Agaricus bisporus cultivation.

Перевод пока недоступен