Solid-State Fermentation of Trichoderma spp.: A New Way to Valorize the Agricultural Digestate and Produce Value-Added Bioproducts.

In this study, the agricultural digestate from anaerobic biogas production mixed with food wastes was used as a substrate to grow RUT-C30 and Ta13 in solid-state fermentation (SSF) and produce high-value bioproducts, such as bioactive molecules to be used as ingredients for biostimulants. The spp. reached their maximum growth after 6 and 3 SSF days, respectively. Both species were able to produce cellulase, esterase, and citric and malic acids, while also produced gibberellins and oxylipins as shown by ultraperformance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) profiling. Experimental evaluation of germination parameters highlighted a significant promotion of tomato seed germination and root elongation induced by crude extracts from SSF. This study suggests an innovative sustainable use of the whole digestate mixed with agro-food waste as a valuable substrate in fungal biorefineries. Here, it has been applied to produce plant growth-promoting fungi and bioactive molecules for sustainable agriculture.