Agro-Industrial Residues as Cost-Effective and Sustainable Substrates for the Cultivation of Epicoccum nigrum, with Insights into Growth Kinetic Characteristics and Biological Activities
Source abstract
Abstract
A significant quantity of agro-industrial waste is generated globally across various agricultural sectors and food industries. Composed primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin—known as lignocellulosic materials—this waste holds significant potential and can be repurposed as a nutrient-rich substrate for mushroom cultivation. Therefore, mushroom cultivation can be regarded as a promising biotechnological approach for the reduction and valorization of agro-industrial waste. This investigation is the first to explore the utilization of agro-industrial waste- and by-products for the cultivation of Epicoccum nigrum for the production of extracts with valuable biological activities. The logistic curve and autocatalytic growth models were applied to study the kinetics of the growth process on wheat bran, sunflower cake, wheat straw, pine sawdust, and steam-distilled lavender straw substrates. Through mathematical modeling, the optimal composition of a nutrient medium containing the selected substrates was determined and successfully validated in experimental conditions. Biologically active water extracts were obtained after solid-state cultivation with α-amylase and cellulase activity up to 10.6 ± 0.6 U/mL and 0.52 ± 0.03 U/g, respectively. The extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against fungal strains from six different species, and the most susceptible was the phytopathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.156–0.313 mg/mL.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Growth and nutrition in plants · Plant tissue culture and regeneration · Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Food Technologies, 26 Maritsa Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Department of Organic Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry, University of Food Technologies, 26 Maritsa Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, University of Food Technologies, 26 Maritsa Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Department of Mathematics, Physics and Information Technologies, University of Food Technologies, 26 Maritsa Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Funding
Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science
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