ABSTRACT

An edible mushroom such as Pleurotus species was grown on locally available agricultural wastes. The objective of the study is to determine the substrate (agricultural waste), that is suitable for the cultivation of the mushrooms. The substrates used were rice straw, rice husk and banana leaves. Malt extract agar (MEA) medium was, used for the laboratory medium by mixing 20g of the malt extract broth powder and agar powder into 500m1 of water. This preparation was autoclaved at 121°C for 15 minutes and allowed to cool in an inoculation chamber to about 45°C and then 10of the medium was poured into sterile Petri-dishes and allowed to gel. Then thoroughly washed cereal grains such as millet (Pennisetum sp) and guinea corn (Sorghum sp) were soaked for 24 hrs in water and then autoclaved into the grains and incubated at 27±1°C for about two weeks. Finally, dry rice straw, rice husk and banana leaves were soaked in clean water overnight, after this, the substrates were pasteurized for 2 hours at a temperature of 80°C in a gas heated drum. On cooling, 10% weight of the grain spawn were inoculated into the substrates. Fruitification started about two weeks after inoculation, rice straw produced high number and heavier weight of fruitbodies of Pleurotus species, but in terms of pileus diameter of fruitbodies, banana leaves produced more diameter than other substrates used, Pleurotus sp. are best cultivated at a relative humidity of 85% and temperature between 29-31°C