Abstract
In Central Africa, mushrooms are critically important non-timber forest products (NTFPs), both nutritionally and economically. A strain of edible and medicinal lignicolous fungus, Pleurotus tuber-regium (Rumph. ex Fr.) Singer 1951 (strain 190212), isolated from tissue (sclerotia), on PDA medium, was tested on corn grain and sawdust seedling substrates and on palm oil male inflorescence (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), ground corn (Zea mays L) stalks and grass (Paspalum notatum L) soaked for 24 hrs then drained for 24 hours, and unsoaked ground corn (Zea mays L) stalks. The highest mycelial growth rate recorded was about 0.9 cm on the PDA medium; 5.97 cm on the corn-based seedling medium and 11.95 cm on the sawdust-based seedling medium. Total mycelial invasion on the PDA medium was observed on day 10, day 14 on the corn-based seedling medium, and day 24 on the sawdust-based seedling medium. The onset of mycelial invasion was noticeable on day 3 of seeding for all treatments T0 (control), T1 (Final substrate based on soaked ground corn stalks), T2 (Final substrate based on unsoaked ground corn stalks), and T3 (Final substrate based on turf). Total invasion of mycelium was obtained at day 15 of incubation for treatments T1 and T2, at day 18 for treatment T3 and at day 24 for treatment T0. The results obtained on treatments T1 and T2 respectively (14.95±3.12% and 15.65±1.06%) of the maize stalk substrate, lead us to believe that the strain 190212 of Pleurotus tuber-regium species used has adapted and requires an improvement of the medium with nitrogen-rich additives such as soybean meal. This could achieve the theoretical yield of 20% or more, according to which a substrate can be considered better in producing sporophores.
Highlights
In Central Africa, mushrooms are critically important non-timber forest products (NTFPs), both nutritionally and economically [1,2]
The Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium, which served as a support for the mycelium to obtain the mother culture, was prepared by referring to the formula proposed by the Mycothèque de l'Université Catholique de Louvain (MUCL) as described by Dibaluka [9]
The main goal of this study was to contribute to the valorization of NTFPs for the fight against hunger and food insecurity through the cultivation of edible mushrooms, in particular that of Pleurotus tuber-regium (Rumph. ex Fr.) Singer 1951 strain 190212, by making the sporophores available and regular
Summary
In Central Africa, mushrooms are critically important non-timber forest products (NTFPs), both nutritionally and economically [1,2]. They have never ceased to be exploited by certain ethnic groups such as the Pygmies of Central Africa, NTFPs have recently been the subject of renewed interest even by urban populations [3]. Some species of Pleurotus, Lentinus and Termitomyces genera are found in small quantities in their natural environment because they often grow only in small numbers and can only serve as subsistence food and not as a marketable product that can be a source of income for rural populations [5,6]. Mushrooms have very specific requirements, which are difficult to reproduce or satisfy artificially. Mushroom cultivation is proving to be a profitable activity
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