Evaluation of various substrates and supplements for biological efficiency of Pleurotus sajor-caju and Pleurotus ostreatus

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different substrates namely wheat straw (Triticum aestivum), maize stover (Zea mays L), thatch grass (Hyparrhenia filipendula) and oil/protein rich supplements (maize bran, cottonseed hull [Gossypium hirsutum]) on biological efficiency of two oyster mushroom species (Pleurotus sajor-caju and P. ostreatus). Wheat straw had superior performance over maize stover and thatch grass when cultivating P. sajor-caju. However, maize stover was more suitable for P. ostreatus than wheat straw. Supplementation with cottonseed hull improved yields when cultivating P. ostreatus using wheat straw. These findings suggest that at 25% inclusion rate, farmers should not supplement with maize bran, as this would reduce yields significantly. Further investigations are needed to test both lower and higher rates of inclusion of supplements.