Evaluation of Yield and Nutritional Composition of Oyster Mushroom (<i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i>) Grown on Different Substrates

Abstract

This study examined the yield and nutritional composition of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) grown on different substrates. The experiment consisted of six treatments viz: Sawdust, Coconut-husk, Maize-cob, Maize-cob + Sawdust, Coconut-husk + Maize-cob and Sawdust + Coconut-husk. Each substrate was moistened and left for 12 hours. Thereafter, 1 % CaCO3 and 5 % wheat bran were added to 600g of each substrate. The substrates were divided into three of 200g each. The replicates were placed inside polythene bags of size 15 x 35 and steam sterilized at 121ºC for 20 minutes in an autoclave. Sterilized substrates were inoculated with Pleurotus spawn inside the polythene bag and then air-tight sealed with a rubber band. The substrates were kept in the darkroom at 25 ºC to ramify. The ramified substrates were kept moist for the mushroom to sprout. The result revealed that mushroom produce on sawdust substrate gave the highest yield on a fresh weight basis (16.67 ±1.20g). While sawdust + coconut-husk performed best in terms of nutritional composition with 14.00 % ash, 2.63 % protein, 42.87 % carbohydrates, 2.70 % calcium, and 650 %phosphorus. In conclusion, the uantity of mushroom produced was highest in sawdust while sawdust with coconut-husk produced mushroom ith the highest nutritional quality. The study recommends sawdust for commercial production of oyster mushroom and sawdust + coconut-husk for optimum nutritional benefits.