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Abstract: The cultivation of Agaricus bisporus is fast spreading in Northern India resulting on the availability of abundant spent compost which can be fed to the cattle either as part of the ration or wholly (Langer et al., 1982). The production of green fodder is about 31 million tonnes as against 90 million tonnes needed for the existing population of seven million cattle. An animal gets 11 kg of fodder which is far less of its requirements of 40 kg a day (Anonymous, 1981). In order to meet such an acute shortage of green fodder, the proposal of spent compost as potential cattle feed has been forwarded. But there is a considerable time gap between the purchase of spent compost and subsequent feeding which makes it necessary for storage. The storage decay is of primary concern in developing countries like India where adequate storage facilities are not available and there exists the potential for contamination of stored food and feed products by mold fungi. Investigations of field and storage fungi led to the discovery of many mycotoxins which show a broad spectrum of toxicity patterns (Manickam et al., 1985; Reboli et al., 1987). Aflatoxin, the most notorious carcinogenic fungal metabolite, has been reported as a frequent contaminant of feedstuffs showing spectacular serious effects upon livestock (Balasubramaniam, 1985; Hassan et al., 1985). The purpose of the present study is to determine the fungal flora of the spent compost and to study the likehood that spent compost could become aflatoxin contaminant if stored improperly in gunny bags.
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