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Rethinking spent mushroom substrate: from lignocellulosic waste to soil-microbiome bioresource for circular
Rizwan Khan1, Jianou Gao1, Yousif Abdelrahman Yousif Abdellah1
1Development & Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Fungal Sustainable Utilization in South and Southeast Asia, Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan Province 650201, China.
Bioresource Technology
|July 20, 2026
Summary
Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) offers potential for circular agriculture but faces challenges due to its variability. This review proposes a framework to unlock predictable, safe, and sustainable applications for SMS by understanding its traits and mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Soil Science
- Microbiome Science
- Circular Bioeconomy
Background:
- Global mushroom cultivation produces vast amounts of spent mushroom substrate (SMS).
- Valorization of SMS is hindered by compositional heterogeneity, variable functionality, and unpredictable soil-microbiome-plant interactions.
- SMS is a complex, biologically transformed lignocellulosic matrix influenced by numerous factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review spent mushroom substrate (SMS) from soil-microbiome-plant and circular bioeconomy perspectives.
- To propose a trait-mechanism-function-application framework for predictable SMS utilization.
- To identify barriers and propose solutions for effective SMS valorization.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on fungal transformation of lignocellulosic feedstocks.
- Analysis of SMS traits (residues, lignocellulose, chitin, nutrients, enzymes, metabolites, protein peptides, microbial consortia).
- Examination of mechanisms (nutrient release, microbiome succession, biodegradation, adsorption/immobilization, pathogen suppression, plant immune modulation).
Main Results:
- SMS traits regulate key mechanisms influencing agricultural and environmental applications.
- Identified applications include soil amendment, disease management, remediation, biochar, bioenergy, microbial carriers, feed, and biorefineries.
- Key barriers include heterogeneity, incomplete characterization, unclear mechanisms, dose-response issues, and insufficient LCAs/TEAs.
Conclusions:
- Standardized classification, chemotyping, multi-omics validation, and microbiome-resolved assessment are crucial for SMS.
- Long-term field trials and LCA/TEA-guided deployment are needed for practical solutions.
- Rethinking SMS as a mechanism-based biological interface enables predictable, safe, and scalable circular agriculture systems.
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