Microbial diversity and substrate properties drive the decomposition of spent mushroom substrate under nitrogen management

Abstract

Recycling spent mushroom substrate (SMS) to agricultural fields is a widely adopted strategy for organic waste valorization. However, the decomposition characteristics, nutrient release patterns, and microbial succession of SMS under different return rates and nitrogen fertilization regimes remain unclear; we used high-throughput sequencing, enzyme activity assays, and physicochemical analysis to investigate them. In this field experiment, three replicated plots were established per treatment, and destructive sampling was performed at nine time points over 110 days. Overall, the SMS decomposition rate decreased significantly from 5.39 ± 1.42 g d⁻¹ at the early stage to 1.85 ± 0.27 g d⁻¹ at the late stage (P < 0.001, Welch's t-test). Nitrogen fertilization significantly suppressed enzyme activities and decomposition rate, and this effect did not differ significantly among stages (stage × nitrogen, P > 0.05). SMS application rate also significantly affected decomposition, with the lower rate showing a higher decomposition rate overall. The microbial co-occurrence network reached its highest complexity and stability (bacterial AUC = 54.267, fungal AUC = 9.663) at the middle stage, along with the largest niche breadth. Structural equation modeling revealed that the decomposition rate was directly influenced by microbial diversity (Std. β = 0.444, P < 0.001) and residue properties (Std. β = 0.515, P < 0.001), whereas community structure had only indirect effects. This study provides practical guidance for the efficient soil application of SMS under nitrogen fertilization, contributing to the sustainable utilization of agricultural organic wastes.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

spent mushroom substrate / decomposition / nitrogen fertilizer / microbial diversity

Highlight

	● SMS decomposition shows a trend of being rapid initially and eventually slowing.
	● Nitrogen fertilizer can inhibit SMS decomposition.
	● The carbon- and nitrogen-degrading enzyme activities exhibited decoupling patterns.
	● The microbial community is the most stable in the middle stage of SMS degradation.
	● SMS decomposition is directly influenced by its properties and microbial diversity.

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