Carbon Dioxide Generation by Fungal Mycelium During Spawn Run

Abstract

The abundant production of C02 during fungal growth has numerous applications in controlled environment agriculture and Bioregenerative Life Support Systems. Fungi can convert low quality waste streams into high quality food while also enriching plants with carbon dioxide in a controlled environment agricultural system. The potential of fungi for carbon dioxide generation was evaluated using three species of Basidiomycetes: Pleurotus ostreatus (“Pearl Oyster”), Ganoderma lucidum (“Reishi”), and Trametes versicolor (“Turkey Tail”) on three different substrate combinations – straw/cotton, mesquite/alfalfa, and oak/soy. Inoculated substrate bags were placed in airtight systems and carbon dioxide generated was compared among the various species and substrate combinations. Trametes versicolor produced more C02 than the other species on all substrates tested, and the substrate combination of mesquite/alfalfa resulted more C02 than the other substrate combinations for all species tested. Trametes versicolor on mesquite/alfalfa produced up to 6.02 grams of C02 /day/bag.