Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) has generally been used for the manufacture of animal feed and production of bio fuel. Limited research has been conducted in the utilization of SMS as a co-material for composting. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of composting vegetable waste mixed with various ratios of SMS (30, 40, and 50%). The results showed that the C/N ratio decreased when both sawdust (from 22.0~28.8 to 17.7~20.4) and SMS (from 18.5~19.5 to 12.7~16.8) were applied for composing, owing to increased contents of nitrogen. A maturity test conducted using mechanical (Solvita) and germination tests revealed that both sawdust (92.0~101.9%) and SMS (87.8~89.2%) satisfied a criteria of maturity standard (70%). A correlation analysis between compost maturity and its chemical properties revealed that the C/N ratio and pH were the most dominant parameters for compost maturity. Overall, SMS could be utilized as a compost material and especially, vegetable waste mixed with SMS could provide sufficient nutrients for crop growth.

The waste substrate from sawdust based cultivation of Heicium erinaceum was reused. This process was conducted three times. Even when the waste substrate was reused at three times, the yield of fruiting bodies was equal to that of fresh medium. However, the yield of the 1st-waste substrate was the best of all waste substrate media and the yields of waste substrate media deceased with recycling times. The yield of the 1st or the 2nd waste substrate medium increased by 1.3-1.4 times compared with that of the fresh medium. The content of low molecular α-glucan and β-glucan of the 1st or the 2nd waste substrate medium increased and C-N ratio of the 1st or the 2nd waste substrate medium decreased. These results suggest that low molecular glucan and N sources contribute to increasing fruiting bodies. It was clear that the 1st and the 2nd waste substrate were useful for the cultivation material of Heicium erinaceum.

The availability of enokitake cultural waste for Lentinus edodes cultivation was investigated, although hardwood sawdust has traditionally been used as a substrate for this fungus. Firstly, physiochemical characteristics of cultural waste were analysed. Secondly, mycelial growth characteristics and fruiting yields of L. edodes on waste treated in some methods were determined. Physiochemical characteristics of enokitake cultural waste showed that the millwaste complex was a little degraded by enokitake fungus and suggested the probability that most component lost by enokitake could be rice bran. Mycelia of L. edodes grew and fruited well on waste supplemented by fresh rice bran and Quercus sawdust although didn't on waste only. Mycelial growths of these fungi on waste were accelerated when supplemented by rice bran to the percent of 40(w/w) but decreased or suppressed at above ratios(30, 40%, w/w). Supplementations of oak sawdust at above 40%(w/w) of the waste and rice bran at 20%(w/w) of the sawdust allowed such a good mycelial growth as to be selected as a pertinent mixing ratio for fruiting medium. A fruiting yield on enokitake cultural waste supplemented by oak sawdust (at 40% of the waste, w/w) and rice bran (at 20% of the sawdust, w/w) was not inferior to that on oak sawdust supplemented by rice bran only (at 20% of the sawdust, w/w). These results indicated strongly the potentiality of enokitake cultural waste as raw materials for shiitake cultivating substrates.