Pleurotus cultivation: a sustainable way to utilize agrowaste

Abstract

In the present study two species of Pleurotus namely Pleurotus florida (Mont.) Singer and Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P.Kumm. were cultivated using three different agro waste substrates such as paddy straw, sugarcane bagasse, banana leaves and its mixture in equal proportion. The fastest colonization and maximum numbers of heads were produced on paddy straw substrate. Banana leaves and paddy straw substrates reported the highest yield of mushroom fruitbodies, biological efficiency and biomass loss in P. florida and P. ostreatus. It was noticed that the growth and development of fruitbodies on sugarcane bagasse was minimum and development of competitor moulds was observed on it. In the selected substrates banana leaves posses the highest percentage of nitrogen, carbon and cellulose. The results showed the possibility of utilizing different agrowaste for cultivation of oyster mushroom, which will boost the income of farmers.