A Review of Nature-Based Solutions for Valorizing Aromatic Plants’ Lignocellulosic Waste Through Oyster Mushroom Cultivation

Mirca Zotti, Grazia Cecchi (), Laura Canonica and Simone Di Piazza
Additional contact information
Mirca Zotti: Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genoa, Italy
Grazia Cecchi: Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genoa, Italy
Laura Canonica: Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genoa, Italy
Simone Di Piazza: Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genoa, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: A creative, nature-based way to solve environmental issues and promote sustainable development could be the cultivation of Pleurotus spp. mushrooms to use the lignocellulosic waste from Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs). Pleurotus species are characterized by flexibility and biodegradative capacities to generate bioactive compounds with antibacterial, antioxidant, and nutraceutical properties using lignocellulosic substrates. Aromatic plant residues, such as those from lavender, sage, and mint, can improve the resultant mushrooms’ metabolic profiles and act as nutrient-rich substrates. Higher levels of phenols, flavonoids, and terpenoids can be among these enhancements, which could make mushrooms useful as functional foods. This strategy could provide scalable and affordable waste management solutions by utilizing already existing agricultural systems, including mushroom cultivation, during slow times. Incorporating Pleurotus -based systems can help to produce renewable bio-based products, reduce pollution, and improve soil health. This study not only attempts to demonstrate how Pleurotus species may convert industrial and agricultural waste into valuable, bioactive products, reducing waste and promoting ecological remediation in a circular economy, but also to highlight the viability of using natural processes for economic and environmental sustainability. To exploit the potential of this nature-based approach, future research should concentrate on maximizing substrate consumption, scaling these solutions to industrial levels, and guaranteeing regulatory compliance.

Keywords: oyster mushrooms; Pleurotus; nature-based solutions; circular economy; lignocellulosic waste (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/10/4410/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/10/4410/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:10:p:4410-:d:1654395

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().