Potential Applicability of Post Mushroom Substrate as an Alternative Nutrient Media for Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus Spp) Cultivation

Abstract

The substrate released after mushroom crop harvest, better known as 'post mushroom substrate '(PMs) has shown multifaceted utility in integrated farming which includes recycling for the cultivation of subsequent crops. There are ample research findings to prove the high nutritional status of well decomposed PMS and its suitability as organic manure for most agricultural food crops. Based on these evidence, the present study was aimed to investigate the potential applicability of PMs as a cheap substitute for high valued nitrogen source frequently used in Oyster mushroom (Genus: Pleurotus) cultivation. Basal growth substrate for Pleurotus consisted of 100% sawdust (SD), w/w alone and in two separate combinations with PMS@25% and 50%w/w. These three substrates were further enriched with total prescribed dosage of legume powder and rest of the amendments while half rate of the recommended legume powder was also added separately with other amendments to the substrate consisted of 2 5% and 50% PMS. The experiment was laid in Complete Randomized Design having 5 treatments and 15 replicates and was repeated two times. Spawn run rate, mushroom yield, and biological efficiency corresponding to each treatment were recorded. The highest values (P>0.05) pertaining to spawn run rate, mean mushroom yield and the biological efficiency were recorded from two growth mixtures comprising 50%PMS+50%SD irrespective of the inclusion of the N enrichment as prescribed or half recommendation. Nevertheless no significant difference was observed (P>0.05) between these two treatments suggesting the suitability of PMS as a cheap nitrogen source to substitute high valued legume powder used in mushroom substrate preparation