• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.118-130
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• 2005

This study was conducted to evaluate the spent composts of selenium-enriched mushrooms as a feed selenium Source. Total selenium (Se) contents and Se profiles in the spent mushroom composts (SMC) were determined. In addtion, we also investigated the metabolism in relation to Se accumulation in the mushroom. Mushrooms used in this study were Flammulina velutipes and Se enriched mushrooms were grown for 60 days by adding 2 mg of inorganic Se (Na₂SeO₃) per kg of mushroom composts (MC) on as-fed basis and it was compared with mushrooms not to add Se to the MC. Total Se contents for Se-treated mushrooms were significantly increased (P<0.0001) by 20-fold (4.51 ㎍/g of dry) compared to Se-untreated (0.23 ㎍/g of dry). On the contrary, organic Se proportion was significantly lower (P<0.0001) in the Se-treated mushroom (72.3%) than Se-untreated (100%, not analytically detected of inorganic Se). Se distribution upon a length in the Se-treated mushrooms was the highest in the bottom part (6.86 ㎍/g of dry) near to MC, and top and middle parts were significantly lower (3.71 and 3.01 ㎍/g of dry, respectively) than the bottom (P<0.001). In the SMC from Se-treated mushrooms, a high concentration of Se (5.04 ㎍/g of dry) was still remained, but that from Se-untreated mushrooms was significantly low (P<0.0001) as 0.08 ㎍/g of dry. Se-treated SMC showed a high rate of organic Se (65.67%), suggesting that most of inorganic Se in the SMC was converted to organic Se by mushroom mycelia, and Se-untreated SMC showed 100% of organic Se, not being detected of inorganic Se. Prior to mycelia inoculation in the mushroom culture, the sterilization of MC brought approximately 18% of Se loss in the MC. This result is in accordance with facts generally known that Se is weak in the high temperature and it is consequently volatilized under that condition. Apparent and net accumulation rates (%) for Se into mushrooms were 14.81 and 10.14%, respectively and their difference (4.67%) is considered that it is due to the volatilization into the air via metabolic process of mushroom itself. From the result of this study, inorganic Se addition to MC for mushroom improved the Se content in the mushroom and SMC from Se-enriched mushrooms contained a high concentration of Se. Mycelium and fruiting body from mushrooms converted inorganic Se in MC to organic Se, indicating a high proportion of organic Se in the mushroom and SMC. Therefore, Se in Se-enriched mushroom and SMC was recognized as Se sources of food for human as well as feed for livestock.