Urban Green Waste Delignification by Pleurotus florida (White Oyster) Production: A Pilot Scale Study

Present research work embraces mycology expertise for lignocellulosic green waste valorisation and management. Meticulous experimental cultivation of Pleurotus florida species mushroom on five soaked and autoclaved, axenic lignocellulosic urban green waste substrates, was conducted in triplicates. The research findings indicate substantial variability in substrate characteristics, specifically carbon, nitrate, and lignin contents, that exert control over mushroom growth dynamics yields and nutritional outcomes. Substrate carbon content was maximum in Duranta erecta (43±0.11%) followed by mixed substrate (35±0.12%), Triticum aestivum (34±0.12%), Zoysia japonica (28±0.15%) and lastly Plumeria obtusa (28±0.38%). Nitrate content was at peak in Zoysia japonica (196.96±1.48mg/L) followed by Mixed substrate (175.06±1.21mg/L), Duranta erecta (170.67±1.13mg/L), Triticum aestivum (168.94±0.97mg/L), and lastly Plumeria obtusa (164.14±1.23mg/L). The most lignified substrate was Duranta erecta (34.78±0.23%), followed by Triticum aestivum (30.8±0.2%), mixed substrate (27.08±0.93%), Plumeria obtusa (24.43±0.28%) and lastly Zoysia japonica (21.15±0.2%). Biological efficiency varied significantly (P<0.05) across substrates, being at peak on mixed substrate (75%), followed by Duranta erecta (67.67%), Plumeria obtusa (58.33%), Triticum aestivum (45.67%) and lastly Zoysia japonica (39%). There was a positive correlation between substrate lignin content and both mycelium colonization rate and biological efficiency. Highest delignification was witnessed on mixed substrate (36%), followed by Duranta erecta (18%), Zoysia japonica (13%), Triticum aestivum (11%) and lastly Plumeria obtuse . Study concludes that mushroom cultivation serves as a viable and effective biotechnological approach for lignocellulosic urban green waste biodegradation, carbon cycling, and enhancing food and nutrition security.