
%0 Journal Article
%A Miller, FC 
%A Macauley, BJ 
%T Substrate usage and odours in mushroom composting
%J Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture
%D 1989/02/01
%V 29
%N 1
%P 119-124
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/EA9890119
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/EA9890119 
%X Odour problems associated with producing a composted substrate for mushroom culture were considered at 9 Australian farms, in relation to composting batch recipes. Effects of usage of nutrient rich composting activators were evaluated using nitrogen (N) concentration ratios (%) and a novel ratio, the C/A ratio as indicators of compost nutritional status. The CIA ratio segregated composting ingredients into nutritional classes. Both % N and the C/A ratio showed that excess nutrient usage was positively correlated with odours. Both correlations were significant at P= 0.01. Final % N, however, did not increase with higher initial % N values. This investigation indicates that reducing excessive initial concentrations of available nutrients in compost formulations can reduce odours, while not necessarily reducing compost quality in terms of final N level. 
