The lignocellulolytic microorganism, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, was inoculated during different phases of agricultural wastes composting, and its effect on compost maturity was studied. In the three runs, the decrease in C/N ratio and increases in germination index and humification indices (humification ratio, humification index, percentage of humic acids and degree of polymerisation) were found. Furthermore, the different effects of inoculation during different phases oil the compost maturity could be observed by using ANOVA. When inoculated during the second fermentation phase, P. chrysosporium induced significant changes on all parameters of compost maturity except C/N ratio, whereas it did not produce an obvious change on these parameters when inoculated during the first fermentation phase. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.