Subject: wood chip-digesting fungi and ground nuts

From: [email-masked] (Joel B Gruver)
Date: 28 Nov 1994 01:05:16 -0000

I have 2 info requests. 
First, I have access to large volumes of roughly 
chipped hardwood limbs with a small amount of foliage and coniferous 
limbs mixed in. (These materials were chipped by a road maintenance crew.)
Black cherry is probably the dominant hardwood constituent.
I am looking for a method of accelerating the decomposition of  
these materials so that I can use them as a soil amendment. I am 
wondering if there is a species of fungi that I can innoculate or 
encourage to accelerate the break down of such high lignin materials. 
Where can I find good information on the biochemistry of fungal digestion of 
high ligno-cellulosic materials ? Is there an edible species of mushroom 
that I can culture on this material ?

Where can I find information on the cultivation of the wild edible 
plant (Apios americana, common name: ground nut) ? Who is researching the 
economic potential of this plant ? Where can I obtain seeds, cuttings... of 
groundnuts selected for desirable traits ?

Joel Gruver
Hampshire College Farm Center
(413) 582-5348
[email-masked]