BR-102024017465-A2 - Production of mycomaterial as a bioinput to condition soil moisture and promote plant growth.

Abstract

The invention describes the development of a mycomaterial using oat hulls as raw material, a common byproduct of oat production in Paraná, responsible for 40% of national production. The research evaluated the ability of the mycomaterial, produced by the action of the fungus *Panus strigellus* on oat hulls, to minimize the effects of water stress and promote plant growth. The fungus used in the process belongs to the phylum Basidiomycota, considered a saprophytic fungus capable of degrading and cementing lignocellulosic particles, and was isolated on the Campus of the State University of Londrina (SISGEN registration number AF29CA9). This microorganism was used to produce the mycomaterial from a fermentative process on oat hulls, a biodegradable material rich in cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The mycomaterials produced are completely biodegradable. The biotransformation of oat hulls into micromaterial resulted in a new bio-input capable of promoting water retention in sandy soils and fostering the initial growth of corn under reduced water availability levels. This research aligns with the concept of a circular economy and sustainable development, standing out as a promising innovation for agriculture and the environment.

Inventors

• ANDRÉ LUIZ MARTINEZ DE OLIVEIRA
• LETÍCIA FERNANDES GONÇALVES
• BEATRIZ MARJORIE MARIM
• PEDRO AUGUSTO SOTORIVA BRUST
• NILTON SERGIO HERNANDES FILHO
• NADIA SOUZA JAYME
• MARCELO RODRIGUES DE MELO

Assignees

• UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DE LONDRINA

Dates

Publication Date

20260310

Application Date

20240826

Claims (1)

1. 1. PRODUCTION OF MYCOMATERIAL AS A BIOINPUT FOR CONDITIONING SOIL MOISTURE AND PROMOTING PLANT GROWTH, characterized by the use of the basidiomycete fungus Panus strigellus in a solid-state fermentation process on lignocellulosic agro-industrial residues, such as oat hulls, to form a bioactive material that can be used as a bioinput for conditioning soil moisture and promoting plant growth, comprising the following steps: I. Substrate preparation: Drying, grinding and sieving of oat hulls or other lignocellulosic agro-industrial residue, to ensure uniformity in particle size between 40 and 80 mesh; II. Formulation: Mixing the lignocellulosic residue with yeast extract or another nutrient-rich compound, in a proportion of 0.1 to 10 g/100 g of formulation, and adding distilled water in a 1:1 ratio, followed by manual or mechanical homogenization for 5 minutes; III. Sterilization: Sterilizing the mixture in an autoclave, followed by filling molds with the sterilized mixture to obtain the desired shape and volume of the mycomaterial; IV. Inoculation: Inoculating the sterilized mixture with mycelium of the basidiomycete fungus Panus strigellus, previously cultivated in PDA medium or another culture medium for 10 days at 28°C; V. Incubation: Confining the inoculated mixture in a closed three-dimensional mold (e.g., with plastic film) and incubating at 28°C for 21 days, allowing mycelium growth and hyphal agglomeration with the residue; VI. Drying and inactivation: Unmold the cluster of hyphae and residue, followed by drying in an oven at 80°C for 48 hours to inactivate the fungus and obtain the mycomaterial ready for use;

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [001] Inadequate management of industrial waste represents an environmental challenge, especially regarding substances with high cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin content. Biotechnological strategies have been proposed as alternatives for the disposal of these wastes, promoting the production of diverse materials with high added value (KLEIN et al., 2019). An innovative approach in this context is the use of agricultural waste for the production of biodegradable materials, adding value to agricultural waste through transformation or biotransformation. These materials can lead to the development of new bio-inputs that promote plant growth and protect them against biotic and abiotic stresses. Composites produced from agro-industrial waste have demonstrated viability in improving soil quality and acting as a support for the immobilization of microbial cells, reducing dependence on agrochemicals (MOREIRA et al., 2018; MARCELINO et al., 2016; VERCELHEZE et al., 2019). [002] Over the last five decades, agricultural production has grown remarkably in response to the increase in the global population and the growing demand for food, resulting in a considerable amount of lignocellulosic waste. In Brazil, the 2017/18 harvest generated 641 million tons of processed waste, with 90% of this total coming from the southern, southeastern, and central-western regions of the country, while the remaining 10% came from the northern and northeastern regions (ROCHA and PANDOLFI, 2019). Among this waste, oat hulls stand out, a byproduct of the oat flour production industry and composed mainly of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. However, the effective management of agro-industrial waste, especially lignocellulosic waste, is a challenge for the agro-industry. These residues are valuable sources of raw materials for biotechnological applications, although they are largely used as a source of thermal energy, for forming coverings in livestock production systems, or discarded into the environment, causing serious environmental problems (BASTOS et al., 2022; SARANGI et al., 2023). [003] Recently, research has focused on reducing and recycling these wastes into useful products, adopting a circular bioeconomy approach. This strategy involves the efficient use of resources (raw materials, water and energy), transforming waste into raw materials for the production of high value-added products, such as animal feed, biofuels, enzymes and fine chemicals (KLEIN et al., 2019). [004] Mycelium-based composites (Mycomaterials) emerge as a promising technology aligned with the concept of a circular bioeconomy. These mycomaterials are produced by combining mycelium from fungi grown in abundance on organic substrates, where they act as a natural adhesive for the particles present in the substrate. The quality of these composite mycomaterials depends on both the type of fungus (species and physiological characteristics) and the substrate used (carbon and nutrient content), resulting in mycomaterials with significant variations in mycelium morphology, biochemical content, density, compressive strength, thermal stability, and hydrophobicity (APPELS et al., 2019; SUN et al., 2019). These mycomaterials offer several advantages over conventional lignocellulosic composites, including a higher amount of chitin, a higher Young's modulus, and lower elongation capacity. Companies like Ecovative already market packaging products made from these composites, under the name MycoFlex™, and construction materials such as blocks, particleboard, acoustic materials, thermal insulation and cladding materials (RODRÍGUES-COUTO, 2011). [005] The mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi, is formed by a dense network of thin filaments called hyphae, which join together and form a solid structure. The growth of the mycelium forms a network of small fibers that invade and degrade the organic substrate, transforming it into strong, three-dimensional materials. The ability of fungi to degrade lignin and other components of the plant cell wall is fundamental to this process. Filamentous fungi have been used in the production of a wide range of compounds, functional foods, and sustainable raw materials for various consumer products. Similarly, the biological properties of filamentous fungi have been applied in the development of materials for various applications, such as packaging for different purposes, clothing, food, and building materials (MUIRURI et al., 2023; UDAYANGA, MIRIYAGALLA, 2021, APPELS et al., 2019). BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [006] This patent application concerns the development of mycomaterial formulations for various agricultural applications. No other work or patent describes formulations similar to those mentioned in this application, which involve the use of lignocellulosic agro-industrial waste in conjunction with the fungus Panus strigellus, for the development of mycomaterials applied to the environment, especially to soils, w