A large amount of agro-industrial waste is produced worldwide in various agricultural sectors and by different food industries. The disposal and burning of this waste have created major global environmental problems. Agro-industrial waste mainly consists of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, all of which are collectively defined as lignocellulosic materials. This waste can serve as a suitable substrate in the solid-state fermentation process involving mushrooms. Mushrooms degrade lignocellulosic substrates through lignocellulosic enzyme production and utilize the degraded products to produce their fruiting bodies. Therefore, mushroom cultivation can be considered a prominent biotechnological process for the reduction and valorization of agro-industrial waste. Such waste is generated as a result of the eco-friendly conversion of low-value by-products into new resources that can be used to produce value-added products. Here, we have produced a brief review of the current findings through an overview of recently published literature. This overview has focused on the use of agro-industrial waste as a growth substrate for mushroom cultivation and lignocellulolytic enzyme production.

The continually expanding use of plastic throughout our world, along with the considerable increase in agricultural productivity, has resulted in a worrying increase in global waste and related environmental problems. The reuse and replacement of plastic with biomaterials, as well as the recycling of agricultural waste, are key components of a strategy to reduce plastic waste. Agricultural waste is characterized as lignocellulosic materials that mainly consist of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Saprobe fungi are able to convert agricultural waste into nutrients for their own growth and to facilitate the creation of mycelium-based composites (MBC) through bio-fabrication processes. Remarkably, different fungal species, substrates, and pressing and drying methods have resulted in varying chemical, mechanical, physical, and biological properties of the resulting composites that ultimately vary the functional aspects of the finished MBC. Over the last two decades, several innovative designs have produced a variety of MBC that can be applied across a range of industrial uses including in packaging and in the manufacturing of household items, furniture, and building materials that can replace foams, plastics, and wood products. Materials developed from MBC can be considered highly functional materials that offer renewable and biodegradable benefits as promising alternatives. Therefore, a better understanding of the beneficial properties of MBC is crucial for their potential applications in a variety of fields. Here, we have conducted a brief review of the current findings of relevant studies through an overview of recently published literature on MBC production and the physical, mechanical, chemical, and biological properties of these composites for use in innovative architecture, construction, and product designs. The advantages and disadvantages of various applications of mycelium-based materials (MBM) in various fields have been summarized. Finally, patent trends involving the use of MBM as a new and sustainable biomaterial have also been reviewed. The resulting knowledge can be used by researchers to develop and apply MBC in the form of eco-friendly materials in the future.

Phytase is an enzyme that breaks down phytates to release phosphorus in an available form. This enzyme plays an important role in animals, especially monogastric animals. It serves to improve phytate digestion along with phosphorus absorption, which are required for optimal growth performance and health. In this study, five mushroom species (Amauroderma rugosum SDBR-CMU-A83, Ganoderma mastoporum SDBR-CMU-NK0244, Marusmius sp.1 SDBR-CMU-NK0215, Pholiota adiposa SDBR-CMU-R32 and Piptoporellus triqueter SDBR-CMU-P234) out of 27 mushroom species displayed positive phytase production by agar plate assay. Consequently, these five mushroom species were selected for determination of their potential ability to produce phytase under solid-state fermentation using five agricultural residues (coffee parchment, oil palm empty fruit bunches, rice bran, sawdust, and water hyacinth) as substrates. The highest yield of phytase production (17.02 ± 0.92 units/gram dry substrate) was obtained after one week of fermentation. Optimization for phytase production was determined by statistical approaches using a Plackett–Burman design to screen ten parameters of relevant substrate components. Two significant parameters, the amount of water hyacinth and the moisture content, were found to affect the production process of phytase. Furthermore, the optimal temperature, pH value, and fermentation period were evaluated. The results indicated that the highest degree of phytase production at 53.66 ± 1.68 units/gram dry substrate (3.15-fold increase) was obtained in water hyacinth containing 85% moisture content by addition with a suitable basal liquid medium at a pH value of 6.5 after being incubated at 30 °C for seven days. The crude phytase of P. adiposa was precipitated and the precipitated extract was then used to determine partial characterizations. The precipitated extract displayed high activities after exposure to conditions of 42 °C and pH 5.0. Furthermore, Fe²⁺ enhanced phytase activity and precipitated extract displayed the best stability at a pH value of 8.0 and a temperature of 4 °C.

Cannabis sativa L. is a multipurpose plant widely cultivated for fiber, food, medicinal products, and the production of bioactive compounds, including psychoactive cannabinoids. Fungal endophytes are a promising source of antimicrobial compounds used for biological control and sustainable crop production. However, the fungal endophytes associated with C. sativa have been poorly investigated, and their biological activities are still largely unexplored. Thus, this study aimed to identify fungal endophytes from C. sativa (marijuana and hemp biotypes) and to screen for their antagonistic activities against some plant pathogens. Based on ITS sequence analysis, a total of 103 fungal endophyte isolates (21 genera) were preliminarily identified from both biotypes, including 62 isolates (13 genera) from hemp and 41 isolates (nine genera) from marijuana. Fusarium was the dominant genus found in hemp (45%), while Nigrospora was the dominant genus isolated from marijuana (32%). Ten selected fungal endophytes were evaluated for in vitro antagonistic activity against four bacterial pathogens, Pectobacterium spp. (PC 01 and PC 02) and Ralstonia solanacearum (RA 01 and RA 02), and four fungal pathogens, Fusarium solani (FU 01), F. oxysporum (FU 02), and Sclerotium sp. (SC 01 and SC 02), all of which are causal agents of potato diseases. Among the tested fungal endophytes, Colletotrichum sp. (SLLC-M24) and Nigrospora sp. (SLLC-H15) exhibited the strongest antifungal activity against Fusarium spp. (FU 01 and FU 02), with inhibition rates ranging from 56 to 64%. In addition, Pestalotiopsis sp. (SLLC-H5) demonstrated effective antibacterial activity against all tested bacterial pathogens, producing inhibition zones ranging from 19 to 23 mm. This finding represents an important step toward discovering novel and promising endophytes associated with Cannabis and their biological control potential for utilization in sustainable agriculture.

The increasing environmental burden of petroleum-based plastic and foam packaging has accelerated the search for sustainable bio-based alternatives. This study developed mycelium-based cushioning packaging (MBCP) using Lentinus sajor-caju cultivated on four abundant biomass residues (corn husk, rice straw, sawdust, and sugarcane leaves) and comprehensively evaluated their physical, mechanical, microstructural, biodegradation, phytotoxicity, and cushioning performances. Substrate selection significantly influenced composite properties. Sawdust-based MBCP exhibited the highest density (314.79 kg/m³), superior compressive strength (0.91 MPa), and the lowest water absorption and volumetric swelling, indicating excellent structural stability under humid conditions. In contrast, corn husk- and sugarcane leaf-based composites developed superiorly porous structures that enhanced impact energy dissipation, with corn husk demonstrating better cushioning performance in free-fall drop tests, outperforming conventional air bubble wrap and expanded polyethylene foam in preventing secondary damage to glass bottles. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that variations in biomass composition affected mycelial formation, pore distribution, and network density, directly influencing mechanical behavior and impact resistance. Soil burial experiments revealed progressive biodegradation, with corn husk- and sugarcane leaf-based MBCP achieving over 60% degradation within 90 days, while phytotoxicity assays revealed no inhibitory effects on seed germination and even promoted early seedling growth in several vegetable species, supporting safe environmental disposal and potential secondary use as biodegradable planters. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that biomass residues can be strategically selected to improve the functional performance of MBCP by offering a compromise between biodegradability, mechanical durability, and cushioning efficiency. The developed MBCP represents a promising renewable alternative to conventional petroleum-derived plastic and foam packaging, supporting circular bioeconomy strategies through waste valorization and environmentally responsible packaging solutions.