Effect of oil-palm bunch and Andropogon straw on the yield and proximate composition of Pleurotus ostreatus fruit-bodies".(Jacquin ex Fries:- Okonkwo, Chinonyelum A.

ABSTRACT

Oyster mushroom (P/eurotus ostreatus var jlorida (Fries) Singer was cultivated on different agro-wastes, Andropogon gayanus straw and oil- palm bunch,in the ratio of control (100% Andropogon gayanus straw), 70% Andropogon gayanus straw + 30%oil palm bunch, 50%+50% of Andropogon gayanus straw and oil palm bunch, and 60% Andropogon gayanus straw +40% oil palm bunch. The fruit-body yield of the mushroom on the four substrates and the effects of the substrates on the proximate composition of the fruit-bodies viz, moisture content, dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ash content, ether extract, carbohydrate, calorific value and nitrogen contents of the fruit-bodies were investigated. The investigations showed that Andropogon + oilpalm bunch in the various ratios produced various quantities of fruit-bodies. However, Fruitbodies produced in 70% + 30% and 60% + 40% (22.75 ± 7.80) and (22.75 ± 4.80) respectively were significantly higher in number than those of the control and 50% + 50% (6.50 ±4.12 and 12.75 ± 8. 75) respectively. (Fig. 1) Similarly, Moisture content was highest in 50% + 50% substrate and lowest in control. Substrate 70%+30%, produced fruit-bodies with higher crude protein, crude fibre, ash. contents than those of the other substrates. The carbohydrate content of the fruit-bodies from all the substrates were quite high but not significantly different. The growth characteristics of the fruit-bodies from 70%+ 30% were also better than those of the other substrates. The results show that 70%+ 30% substrates appeared richer than the other substrate combinations and are therefore recommended