The use of particular terpenes, or of essential oils that are mainly composed thereof, as biostimulants in the production of mycelia and the cultivation of mushrooms. More particular, the invention relates to the use of at least one beta-pinene, delta-3-carene or beta-phellandrene chemotyped essential oil, or of at least one terpene selected from beta-pinene, delta-3-carene or beta-phellandrene, or one of the mixtures thereof, for stimulating the development and growth of mycelia and of edible mushrooms.

A growth medium formed as an inoculum including a preselected fungus and a nutrient material capable of being digested by the fungus is placed in or on a tool formed of a material capable of being at least partially consumed by the fungus. The tool may define a cavity of predetermined shape for the growth medium or the tool may form a scaffolding on which the growth medium grows into the final product taking on the shape of the tool.

The present disclosure provides for, and includes, environments for the production, transport and storage of agricultural products including, but not limited to, fruits, vegetables, grains, tubers, decorative plants, flowers and mushrooms. The present disclosure also relates to methods of preparing environments for the preservation and production of agricultural products Also provided are organic agricultural products having reduced levels of microorganisms and residual organic compounds.

The present disclosure provides for, and includes, environments for the production, transport and storage of agricultural products including, but not limited to, fruits, vegetables, grains, tubers, decorative plants, flowers and mushrooms. The present disclosure also relates to methods of preparing environments for the preservation and production of agricultural products Also provided are organic agricultural products having reduced levels of microorganisms and residual organic compounds.

Methods of producing hybrid Agaricus bisporus mushrooms strains derived or descended from at least one wild mushroom strain and having the specified traits of either greatly diminished sporulation or an absence of sporulation, and of obtaining postmeiotic offspring of nonsporlating basidiomycete fungi including Agaricus bisporus, are disclosed.

Methods of producing hybrid Agaricus bisporus mushrooms strains derived or descended from at least one wild mushroom strain and having the specified traits of either greatly diminished sporulation or an absence of sporulation, and of obtaining postmeiotic offspring of nonsporlating basidiomycete fungi including Agaricus bisporus, are disclosed.

Methods for causing, enhancing, and/or expediting consumption of an article by at least one biodegradative living organism are disclosed. The methods include the use of at least one additional living organism that enhances and/or expedites consumption of the article by the at least one biodegradative living organism.

A mushroom compost leveling apparatus includes a panel with a bottom edge where the panel is vertically suspended in a mushroom compost receptacle leaving a gap between the bottom edge and the floor of the receptacle. The panel reciprocates from side to side as mushroom compost is conveyed under the panel. Optionally, the panel includes vanes extending outwardly from a first face surface, and a rake outwardly and downwardly extending from the panel at or near the bottom edge. Optionally, a pair of wheels are mounted for rotation either to the first face of the panel or to a rail of a frame to be isolated from the panel, and the wheels each include paddles that push compost toward the side edges of the mushroom compost receptacle as the wheels are rotated. Optionally, the leveling apparatus is removably attached to sleeves depending over sidewalls of the compost receptacle, and a roller assembly is removably attached to such sleeves downstream of the leveling apparatus.

A molding system for forming an inoculated lignocellulose based medium into a fungal molded shape, the molding system comprising a vessel within which environmental conditions are regulated, the vessel comprising an inoculated lignocellulose based medium capable of supporting growth of saprophytic fungi without any secondary organisms displacing the process through infection a secondary organic material layered near the top and bottom of the inoculated lignocellulose based medium, a hard mold containing the flexible vessel; and a compressive system for applying a primary compressive pressure of at least 10 PSI to the lignocellulose based medium such that it takes on a fungal molded shape.

A molding system for forming an inoculated lignocellulose based medium into a fungal molded shape, the molding system comprising a vessel within which environmental conditions are regulated, the vessel comprising an inoculated lignocellulose based medium capable of supporting growth of saprophytic fungi without any secondary organisms displacing the process through infection a secondary organic material layered near the top and bottom of the inoculated lignocellulose based medium, a hard mold containing the flexible vessel; and a compressive system for applying a primary compressive pressure of at least 10 PSI to the lignocellulose based medium such that it takes on a fungal molded shape.