Journal of Experimental Agriculture International

Cultivation of oyster mushrooms on lignocellulosic agro waste represents one of the most economic organic recycling processes. The present study was conducted to evaluate selected substrate for growth and yield parameters of pink oyster mushroom (Pleurotus djamor) on five locally available agro waste substrates viz., paddy straw, sugarcane bagasse, banana leaves, sawdust, cocopeat and cardboard. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) including six treatments with five replications each. The treatment included paddy straw (100%), paddy straw + sugarcane bagasse + wheat bran (5:4:1), paddy straw + banana leaves + wheat bran (5:4:1), paddy straw + sawdust + wheat bran (5:4:1), paddy straw + cocopeat + wheat bran (5:4:1) and paddy straw + cardboard + wheat bran (5:4:1). Each substrate was supplemented with wheat bran except the control treatment. Among all aspect, treatment paddy straw + sawdust + wheat bran (5:4:1) exhibited the best results in terms of minimum spawn run time (8 days), pinhead initiation (9 days), fruiting formation (11 days), maximum number of mature fruiting bodies (32), length of stipe (2.70cm), yield (200.3g), biological efficiency (164%) and benefit-cost ratio (1:2.8). This empirical information will guide the farmers in the selection of substrates and additives for the successful establishment of mushroom farm with healthy and vigorous mushroom.