Work

Pre-extraction affects the mycelial bioconversion potential of Typha spp. and Salix spp. biomass residues

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Mycelial bioconversion is a promising industrial avenue for transforming a wide array of bio residues and feedstocks into higher added value chains via application of filamentous fungi. Little research has been conducted on the bioconversion efficacy of pre-extracted biomass (PEB) from feedstocks suitable for paludiculture, a sustainable cultivation practice for degraded peat soils. This study investigated the bioconversion ability of five white-rot basidiomycete fungi on pre-extracted and unextracted biomasses derived from two mainstream paludicultural crops: short-rotation coppice willow (Salix schwerinii x Salix viminalis) and perennial cattail grass (Typha latifolia). Willow biomass fed through pressurised hot water extraction (PHWE) and hydrodynamic cavitation extraction (HCE) and cattail biomass via HCE were utilised. During a mycelial bioconversion incubation, Trametes sp. showed fastest hyphal extension rate (10.73 ± 1.13mm/day) on willow PEBHCE and Pleurotus floridanus hyphal extension was fastest on cattail PEBHCE and unextracted biomasses. Hyphal extension rates across all fungi species were generally faster on PEBHCE compared to unextracted biomasses. Post-incubation analyses showed Fomes fomentarius yielded highest ergosterol content (marker of fungal biomass) across all plant biomasses compared to other fungal species (LSM=64.0129µg/g d.w., p < 0.0001). Pre-extraction via PHWE significantly inhibited mycelial bioconversion efficacy both in terms of hyphal extension and ergosterol content. In contrast, pre-extraction via HCE slightly enhanced myceliation efficacy of willow and cattail biomass. These results highlight the novel value of PEB from large-scale paludiculture, and likely other cascaded lignocellulose biomasses, as viable bio-residue feedstocks towards industrial mycelial bioconversion applications.

Source: Biomass and Bioenergy

DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2025.108675