Yield Performances of Pleurotus ostreatus on Different Growth Substrates as Influence by Some Vegetable Additives

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of some vegetables (Diplazium sammatii, Moringa oleifera, and Justicia insularis) as additives on the growth parameters of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated on two substrates; banana leaves (BL) and banana leaves/sawdust (BL/SD). The substrates were amended with these vegetables at different concentration levels (0 g, 5 g, 10 g and 15 g). Spawn running was completed in 30, 35, and 40 days in banana leaves, banana leaves/sawdust and the control respectively. Parameters assessed included area of pileus, number of fruit bodies, fresh weight, dry weight, length of stipe and girth of stipe. Higher mean values for fresh weight (21.69 g), area of pileus (42.58 cm 2), length of stipe (5.10 g) and girth of stipe (4.30 g) were obtained from BL substrate treated to 5 g M. oleifera leaf powder. These values were significantly different from values obtained for other plant additives. Considering the number of fruit bodiesthat emerged on BL/SD substrates, the control produced more fruit bodies than the substrates with additives. The best performance in BL/SD substrates was observed when the substrate was treated to 10 g J. insularis in some of the parameters assessed. These included fresh weight (20.64 g), number of fruit bodies (8.00) and stipe girth (3.44 cm).Other parameters like area of pileus (36.08 cm 2) and dry weight (2.39 cm), control had a better performance. While for length of stipe, 15 g M. oleifera leaf powder had the highest mean value that was significantly different (P≤0.05) from what was observed in substrates amended with other additives. It is therefore evident that these vegetables have high potential for utilization as additives or supplements for growing of Pleurotus ostreatus especially when using BL as substrates. In addition, substrates-additive concentration combination played a significant role in selective organ growth of the test mushroom.