ARCHANA KUMAWAT, ALOK RAJ WASNIKAR AND GAYATRI KUMAWAT
Department of Plant Pathology, Jawaharlal Nehru krishi vishwa vidhalya, College of Agriculture
Jabalpur-482 004 (Madhya Pradesh), India
Livestock Feed Resource Management and Technology Centre,
Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bikaner-334 001 (Rajasthan), India
*(e-mail: archukumawat8@gmail.com)
(Received : 5 June 2024; Accepted : 24 June 2024)
SUMMARY
This study explores the efficacy of various crop straw substrates for the cultivation of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus membranaceus). Substrates tested includes i.e. wheat straw, rice straw, soybean straw, chickpea straw, maize straw, wood chips, sawdust and a combination with wheat straw. The first flush of mushrooms from each substrate was collected and air-dried until a constant weight was reached. Standard methods were employed to analyse key nutritional parameters such as moisture content, ash content and protein. Among the substrates examined, wheat straw 100% exhibited the highest moisture content (91.70%) surpassing all other substrates. Oyster mushroom cultivated on Rice straw 75% + 25% Wheat straw exhibited the highest protein content (22.45%). Notably, the combination substrate of Maize straw 25% + 75% Wheat straw displayed the highest ash content (9.18%). Remarkably, the combination substrate yielded the lowest overall nutritional content compared to the other substrates. The aim is to determine how these substrates influence mushroom quality. As per our knowledge this is the first and novel research to emphasise the importance of crop straw substrate selection in optimizing mushroom cultivation. Wheat and rice straws were found to be particularly effective, suggesting that the choice of substrate is crucial for optimizing mushroom cultivation. The study underscores the potential for utilizing different crop straws and wood-based materials in sustainable mushroom production.
Key words: Oyster mushroom, P. membranaceus, wheat straw, rice straw, soybean straw, chickpea straw, maize straw, wood chips, sawdust