In considering the impact of inoculation time and the characteristics of composting material and inoculants
on the usefulness of inoculation, a new composting strategy has been proposed and studied, in
which three inocula were inoculated at three stages of composting process respectively: inoculum A
(Thermoactinomyces sp. GF1 and GF2) was inoculated before fermentation to increase or maintain high
temperature of pile, inoculum B (Coprinus cinerea and Coprinus comatus) was inoculated after thermophilic
phase to promote degradation of lignin, and inoculum C (Trichoderma harzianum and
Rhizopus oryzae) was inoculated after 30-day fermentation to promote degradation of cellulose. The
results showed that the inoculations could significantly enhance the temperature of pile and the degradation
of lignocelluloses. When inocula A, B, and C were inoculated into pile, temperature increased from
25 C to 65 C, from 33 C to 39 C and from 33 C to 38 C respectively and 35% lignin and 43% cellulose
Microbiological changes of inoculated pile during composting process. a: pile containing the mixing of dairy manure, rice straw and inoculum A with 20–30 mm rice
straws on it; b: Morphological modifications of inoculated pile on 12th day. Arrows indicated mycelium in composting substances, fresh dairy manure on the other hand; c:
Fruiting bodies of C. cinerea appeared in pile; d: Fruiting bodies of C. comatus (arrows) appeared in pile; e: Morphological modifications of inoculated pile after 45-day
fermentation; f: Morphological modifications of control pile after 45-day composting.