Evaluation of Korshinsk Peashrub (Caragana korshinskii Kom.) as a Substrate for the Cultivation of Pleurotus eryngii

The cultivation of Pleurotus eryngii is increasing rapidly in China due to its nutritional and medicinal importance, excellent flavor, and long shelf life; therefore, cheaper and locally available alternative substrates are urgently needed. Experiments were performed to investigate the use of alternative substrates for P. eryngii cultivation. Korshinsk peashrub (Caragana korshinskii Kom.), a perennial shrub, was included in the substrate at varying rates to substitute for the sawdust and sugarcane bagasse (21/38 and 21/35%, respectively) in the typical substrate. The cultivation substrate including 38% Korshinsk peashrub did not significantly affect linear mycelial growth. The fruit body yield (247.3 g/bag) and biological efficiency (70.66%) achieved by using this substrate were significantly higher than those achieved using the control substrate (229.6 g/bag and 65.59%). Crude polysaccharide content was highest (6.12%) in the mushroom grown on 38% Korshinsk peashrub substrate; in this mushroom, crude polysaccharide content was increased by 70.47% compared with that of the mushroom grown on the control substrate (3.59%). These results reveal that supplementing the substrate in which P. eryngii is grown with Korshinsk peashrub can improve polysaccharose accumulation by P. eryngii. The findings described above reveal that Korshinsk peashrub is an efficient, cost-effective, and promising substrate additive that can improve P. eryngii quality and yield while largely substituting for sawdust and sugarcane bagasse.