Application of spent Agaricus subrufescens compost in integrated production of seedlings and plants of tomato

Purpose Spent mushroom compost (SMC) is a majorsolid waste product of the mushroom industry and is thematerial which remains at the end of a mushroom crop.Methods Different proportions of the SMC from Agaricussubrufescens cultivation were tested to produce seedlingsand plants of tomato. A commercial substrate wasused, both as a control and in combination with the spentcompost in different proportions. So two experiments werecarried out, the first was the production and evaluation oftomato seedlings and the second was tomato cultivationfrom seedlings produced in the first experiment.Results The use of different proportions of spent A.subrufescens compost resulted in a decreasing trend of allthe parameters in the production of the tomato seedlings.However, in tomato cultivation for all periods of harvest, apositive effect was observed in fruiting when the seedlingswere produced with spent A. subrufescens compost incomparison to the commercial control.Conclusion It was concluded that the use of spent A.subrufescens compost for seedling production led to ahigher total tomato production compared to previouslyreported production levels in organic cultivation systemswith green, organic and other types of fertilization. Theseresults demonstrated the great potential of spent A. subrufescenscompost for use in organic tomato productionbecause of the better quality of harvested fruit.