Abstract:
The increased consumption of coffee has led to a rise in coffee grounds as waste. Coffee grounds have been widely repurposed before disposal, whether as fertilizer or for odor suppression. This study aims to investigate and develop coffee grounds as a substrate for cultivating mushrooms, specifically optimizing the substrate formulation for cultivating Agrocybe Aegerita and evaluating its organic fertilizer potential post-cultivation. Results indicated that incorporating coffee grounds into the substrate at 20% by weight yielded the highest yield at 20.42 (±1.01) g/100 g and demonstrated an efficient substrate utilization efficiency of 34.71 (±3.49)%. The carbon-to-nitrogen ratio was 85.14 (±5.34). Exceeding 65% coffee grounds by weight inhibited the fungal hyphae growth. The substrate absorbed caffeine from the coffee grounds at 5.92 (±0.34) nmol/mg. Regarding fertilizer use post-harvest, no experimental set met all agricultural department standards due to high carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, deficient essential nutrients, and insufficient decomposition rates. However, when the substrate was composted with rice bran and animal manure, it met agricultural standards. Further research could optimize this fertilizer for plant breeding suitability, ensuring its effective and sustainable use.