Yield performance of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) on different substrate

Abstract

Substrate type is an important factor determining growth and yield of oyster mushroom. Five different substrates namely rice straw, maize husks, banana leaves, fingermillet husk and mixture of rice straw and black gram pod shell (1:1) were evaluated for the yield and related attributes of Pleurotus ostreatus. Standard cultivation practice was followed with steam sterilization and spawning was done on 575 g of substrate in individual poly-bag. The data of three flushes were recorded. Our results revealed that full spawn run completed earlier (18.57 days) in fingermillet husk as compared to any other tested substrates. The highest total quantity yield was obtained in fingermillet husk (1024.57g/bag) and rice straw (956.14g/bag) with corresponding biological efficiency 178.19% and 166.29%, respectively which were significantly higher than all other treatments (Mandeel et al., 2005). The cropping duration was significantly higher in maize husks and banana leaves as compared to rest of three treatments viz., fingermillet husk, rice straw and mixture of rice straw and black gram pod shell (1:1). These three treatments were not statistically different for cropping duration with each other. Considering the biological efficiency and earliness of crop the performance of fingermillet husk, followed by rice straw was found to be better.