Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) compost quality factors for predicting potential yield of fruiting bodies

A quality model has been developed from parameters determining the interact ions of physical, chemical, and biological factors during the preparation o f mushroom compost for growing Agaricus bisporus. Our results show that a p artial least square model based on the combination of pH, dry matter, ammon ia, carbon, hydrogen, ash, Cu, Fe, and Na could explain nearly 90% of the v ariation in mushroom yield obtained from four compost comparative trials. T he yields in the data base for generating the model ranged from 138 to 305 kg per tonne of compost. The validity of the yield model has been confirmed in a trial carried out in collaboration with experienced commercial grower s. This has significant implications for compost producers, as production e fficiencies can be maintained by targeting the important parameters.