Potential use of paper industry waste as substrates for cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi)

In Brazil, Parana is one of the states that receive the most attention in the pulp and paper sector. IBEMA Companhia Brasileira de Papel is the third largest paperboard manufacturer in the country, responsible for generating profits and jobs; however, it also generates waste, such as the waste of the wooden patio area (VAR), the pulp mill fiber (FPM) and fiber from the effluent treatment plant (ETE). The cultivation of mushrooms in industrial waste has long been evaluated, since these organisms have biodegrading, food and even medicinal properties. The objective of this work was to characterize the residues of the paper industry and to evaluate their application and mixtures for the production of Ganoderma lucidum mushrooms. The presence of chemical elements was determined by the use of a scanning electron microscopy coupled to a dispersive energy spectrum detector. After the preparation of the substrates in plastic bags, inoculation with micellar wheat grains and incubation, mycelia! growth and vigor, the emergence of primordia and basidiomas were evaluated. No substrate presented chemical elements harmful to the human being. The FPM residue and the standard substrate had strongly mixed mycelial growth, as well as the formation of primordia and basidiomas at 65 days and 26 days after colonization of the substrates, respectively. The FPM residue served as a substrate for the development of G. lucidum, so that its use in the production of the mushroom would allow to add value to this residue and reduce its disposition in the environment.