ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to optimize the pH of oil palm bunch (OPB) as a substrate for the cultivation of Pleurotus pulmonarius fruit bodies. The natural pH of OPB was found to be 9.5. Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) made into solutions of 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.4% was used to alter the OPB pH at 8.9, 8.2, 7.9, 6.2 and 9.1 (control) after soaking for 48hrs. The result shows that 0.4% HCL treated OPB gave the highest yield (g) and Biological Efficiency (B.E%) of 900g and 90% respectively while control yielded the lowest (493g) and B.E of 49.3%. Result from the morphological characters of individual mushroom fruit body shows that Cap Size (C. S cm) and Weight (wt. g) was also the highest (3.83cm and 3.5g) in 0.4% HCL treated OPB while Stipe Length (S.L cm) was also high (2.77cm) in 0.3%. Morphological characters of P. pulmonarius fruit bodies showed no significant different at p > 0.05. There is also a high level of relationship between Stipe Length (S.L) and Cap Size (C.S) of individual fruit bodies and also C.S and Weight (Wt.) but no significant relationship between S.L and Wt. In conclusion HCL was found as a suitable acid buffer for the optimization of OPB substrate in the cultivation of P. pulmonarius fruit bodies and should be adopted for the commercial production of the mushroom as soon as the mushroom is certified safe for consumption.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page

Certification

Declaration

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Table of contents

List of Tables

List of Plates

Abstract

CHAPTER ONE

        Introduction

1.1   World Mushroom Cultivation

1.2   World Mushroom Market

1.3   Taxonomy

1.4 Economic Important of Oyster Mushrooms

1.5 Nutritional and Food Values

1.6 Medicine/Tonic

1.7 Income and Job Creation

1.8 Justification

1.9 Objectives of study

CHAPTER TWO

Literature Review

2.1.   Effect of pH on mushroom fruit body formation 

2.2.   Mushroom Cultivation

CHAPTER THREE

MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 Source of materials

3.2 Location of Study

3.3 Spawn production / multiplication 

3.4 Determination of substrate pH

3.5 Substrate preparation

3.6 Substrate inoculation

3.7 Measurement of morphological parameter

3.7.1Stipe Sizes of Fruit   Bodies

3.7.2 Diameter of Pileus

3.7.3. Fruit Body Weight

3.8   Yield and Biological Efficiency

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1   RESULTS

CHAPTER FIVE

 Discussion and Conclusion

5.1 Discussion

5.2 CONCLUSION

5.3 Recommendation

      Reference

Appendixes

APENDIX 1

APENDIX 2