Effects of different substrates on growth and yield performance of mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm.) in Benue state, Nigeria

The effects of different mixture of substrates on growth and yield performance of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) was studied in the crop production facility of the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Benue state, Nigeria. The study evaluated the impact of readily available and proportionately mixed agro-wastes (substrates) including T1 (sawdust, 100% control), T2 (rice bran, 100%), T3 (cassava peel, 100%), T4 (maize cob, 100%), T5 (Guinea corn shaft, 100%), T6 (cowpea waste, 100%), T7 (sawdust/rice bran, 50/50%), T8 (sawdust/cassava peels, 50/50%), T9 (sawdust/maize cobs, 50/50%), T10 (sawdust/Guinea corn waste, 50/50%) and T11 (sawdust/cowpea waste, 50/50%). Each of the experimental treatments was replicated 5 times and laid out in a completely randomized design. The result of findings revealed that all the substrates except T2 supported excellent formation of healthy fruit bodies. In all the parameters considered, P. ostreatus had a better performance from T4 (81.3 g fresh weight), T4 (14.72 g dry weight) and T10 (44.12% biological efficiency). A better performance for number of fruiting bodies which was significantly (p<0.05) different was observed for sawdust/cassava peels (33.22), sawdust/maize cobs (28.89) and maize-cobs (21.11) substrates, while the control (T1) produced 8.33 fruiting bodies. The substrate proximate analysis indicated the presence of organic carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and other nutrients which significantly influenced the mushroom production output. This study therefore validates that combination of different substrates from agro-wastes could contribute significantly to increased growth and yield of mushroom with higher profitability.