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Sustainable Mushroom Cultivation on Buffelgrass

Sustainable Mushroom Cultivation on Buffelgrass
Grant Type
Mini Grant
Project Status
Completed
Award Period
FY2025
Awarded Amount
$300

Project Description

The Sustainable Mushroon Cultivation on Buffelgrass project will explore the use of buffelgrass, an invasive grass species in Arizona, as a sustainable substrate for cultivating mushrooms. Buffelgrass threatens local ecosystems and through this project, it will be repurposed for a positive use. This project will be led by students in MycoCats which is a student-led organization with a mission centered around fostering hands-on experience in mycology. Alongside the Sonoran Desert Weedwackers, MycoCats members will regularly collect buffelgrass pullings, transport them to the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (CEAC), and process them for mushroom cultivation. Mushrooms grown using the buffelgrass substrate will be donated to the Campus Pantry and the Cooking on Campus program.

Project Outcomes

Across two mushroom-growing trials, students converted 10.86 pounds of buffelgrass into 4.2 pounds of fresh mushrooms, all of which were donated to the Campus Pantry. While three students were the project leads, eleven other students were involved in the project, providing an opportunity to participate in some fun, hands-on activities, and learning experiences about sustainable food production. 

a person holding up an orange mushroom, surrounded by other mushrooms growing on substrate

Department
The School of Plant Sciences

Project Manager
Alondra Cardona

Project Manager (secondary)
Ryan Cotter

Advisor
Marc Orbach

Categories
Food
Natural Environment

Supporting Documents
Approved Budget