The TCK fungus galls collected in 2009 were provided by the Xinjiang Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau of China. The water agar (WA) medium contained 30 g of agar and 1 L of distilled water.

Autoclave, superclean bench, low temperature incubator, microscope, temperature sensor, pH meter, elemental analyzer, freeze-drying machine, and compost bin (dimension: 280 cm × 120 cm × 100 cm; thickness: 10 cm) were used in this study.

The cow dungs were collected freshly from a cattle farm in Dalian city of China and made homogeneous by thorough mix. The C/N ratio of the compost was adjusted to 19:1 with straws, and its water content was adjusted to 63.7% by drying. The composting materials were piled into the bottomless compost bin to start the static composting. The compost bin was loosely covered with lid to not only provide a shelter but also allow the gas exchange between the pile and the environment. A pad of 20 cm thick paddy straw was placed on the bottom of compost bin to absorb the exudate. Under sterile condition, the intact TCK gall was placed into 1.5 mL sterilized tube, which was then buried 40 - 50 cm deep inside the compost. Multiple thermocouples were also placed close to the sample tube, and the compost temperature was measured daily. After 10 days’ composting fermentation, compost was required to turn over to make sure the mixture of various ingredients in composting system.

The TCK gall samples were randomly collected from multiple sites in the compost after 0, 2, 4, 6, 10, 14, 18, 26, 32, and 40 days of composting, respectively, to detect the pH value, moisture, and C/N ratio. Briefly, 2 g of compost sample were weighed, put into a 50 mL test tube, added with 18 mL of distilled water, and placed on a Vortex mixer to shake for 5 min and stay static for another 30 min. The pH value of the supernatant was then measured using a pH meter. The moisture was determined by freeze-drying method. The freeze-dried compost sample was ground evenly and used to detect the C/N ratio.

The germination rate of treated TCK were detected after 2, 4, 6, 10, 14, 18, 26, 32, and 40 days of composting, respectively, and compared with that in control group. Briefly, the teliospores removed from the fungal gall samples were suspended in appropriate amount of sterile water and spread evenly onto WA plate with approximately 50 teliospores per field. The plate was then placed at 4˚C and cultured under continuous light condition. The observation was started 3 weeks later. The germination rate was calculated 6, 8, and 12 weeks, respectively, after the cultivation. The average germination rate was calculated from triplicated tests. The length of promycelium greater than or equal to the diameter of TCK teliospore was recognized as germinating.

The temperature is an important factor affecting the microbial activities and the composting processes. High temperature contributes to the rapid inactivation of the pathogens, and an appropriate temperature range is conducive to humus formation. As shown in Figure 1, 2 - 8 days after the composting, the temperature was maintained between 50˚C - 60˚C, without influence from the ambient temperature. In the 5th day of composting, the temperature reached the maximum approximately 55˚C. In the 10th day, the temperature dropped to approximately 30˚C, and the compost was mixed again. The temperature of mixed compost decreased initially, then began to rise, and finally dropped to room temperature after 14 days of maintaining between 40˚C - 50˚C.

Figure 2 shows that in the beginning, the pH of the composting materials increases rapidly. After reaching 8.9 at the 2nd day, the pH began to decline slowly until the 10th day. The pH values were between 8.5 and 8.9. After the 10th day’s mixing, until the 40th day, the compost pH maintained in the range of 8.5 to 9.1. Microorganisms survive within certain pH range; a stable, suitable pH facilitates the microbial fermentation and accelerates the composting process.