Effect of the lignocellulose substrate type on mycelium growth and biocomposite formation by Ganoderma lucidum GA3P

Abstract

The lignocellulose agricultural wastes, one of the major environmental pollutants, represent an extremely rich resource with high nutritional value, which can be used in the production of value-added products. In the current study the effect of different lignocellulose substrates on the growth rate of Ganoderma lucidum GA3P and the formation of mycelium-based bio-composites was determined. The macromorphology and specific mycelial growth rate of the colonies on different media containing various lignocellulosic substrate were studied. The obtained composites were characterized regarding their density of the mycelial growth, apparent density and size. G. lucidum GA3P demonstrated high μmax values ranging from 0.267 d-1 to 0.558 d-1 and low K values indicating that all used media were suitable for cultivation, but when wheat bran was used, the formed mycelium-based bio-composites possessed the best characteristics with highest apparent density recorded (0.39 ± 0.005).