10.57647/ijrowa.2026.17359

Equine dung as an organic nitrogen supplement in compost formulation for cultivation of white button mushroom [Agaricus bisporus J.E. Lange (Imbach)]

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  • Roohi Jan1,
  • Sachin Gupta*1,
  • Sudheer Kumar Annepu2,
  • Moni Gupta1,
  1. Division of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, SKUAST-Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  2. ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Center, Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu, India
Equine dung as an organic nitrogen supplement in compost formulation for cultivation of white button mushroom [Agaricus bisporus J.E. Lange (Imbach)]

Received: 2024-12-19

Revised: 2025-01-14

Accepted: 2025-07-27

Published in Issue 2025-08-19

Copyright (c) -1 Roohi Jan, Sachin Gupta, Sudheer Kumar Annepu, Moni Gupta (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Jan, R., Gupta, S., Annepu, S. K., & Gupta, M. (2025). Equine dung as an organic nitrogen supplement in compost formulation for cultivation of white button mushroom [Agaricus bisporus J.E. Lange (Imbach)]. International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.57647/ijrowa.2026.17359
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Abstract

Purpose: The present study aimed to utilize the equine dung as an organic nitrogen supplement in commercial compost formulations for the cultivation of white button mushroom.

Method: Four different compost formulations (C1 to C4) were prepared using wheat straw or in combination with paddy straw as the basic ligno-cellulosic substrate material. The initial nitrogen levels were maintained at 1.48–1.79% by incorporating various nitrogen enrichment materials such as chicken manure, equine dung, mustard oil cake and wheat bran.

Results: The C4 compost formulation (composed of wheat straw – 150 kg, equine dung – 400 kg, mustard oil cake – 30 kg, wheat bran – 30 kg, gypsum – 25 kg, and urea – 6 kg) exhibited the highest biological efficiency of 18.20%, outperforming poultry manure-based compost formulations. Among the various physico-chemical properties of the matured compost, the C:N ratio was identified as a critical factor for achieving higher yields and an extended cropping period.

Conclusion: The experimental findings demonstrate an environmentally sustainable approach for utilizing equine dung waste in a productive way to cultivate protein-rich food. This study highlights the potential of equine dung as a valuable component in compost formulations for white button mushroom production.

 Highlights

·       Equine Dung as a Sustainable Nitrogen Source: Equine dung was successfully utilized as an organic nitrogen supplement in compost formulations, promoting sustainable and productive management of equine waste.

·       Enhanced Biological Efficiency: The compost, prepared using equine dung, mustard oil cake, wheat bran, gypsum, and urea, resulted in maximum biological efficiency of 18.20%, outperforming the commercial poultry manure-based formulations.

·       Optimized Nitrogen Levels for Yield: Initial nitrogen levels in compost formulations (1.48–1.79%) were optimized to support higher yields of white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus).

·       Importance of C:N Ratio: Physico-chemical analysis highlighted that the C:N ratio of matured compost significantly influenced mushroom yield and cropping period.

·       Environmental and Nutritional Benefits: The study demonstrates an environmentally sustainable approach to converting equine dung waste into a productive resource for cultivating protein-rich white button mushrooms.

Keywords

  • C: N ratio,
  • Mushroom compost,
  • Waste management,
  • Poultry manure
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