Effect of cereal, millet and legume bran supplement on yield and biological efficiency of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus flabellatus)

Oyster mushroom has been described both as parasite and saprophyte on several trees. In the wild, it is found on trunk or stumps of various trees and shrubs, mainly of deciduous nature. It belongs to family Pleurotaceae of order Agaricales. It is being popularized worldwide due to its nutritional properties which make it an ideal food for human consumption. Although, in India, it is admired due to its excellent flavor, taste and above all, easy and less expensive method of growing with a wide choice of species available for cultivation under different climatic conditions. Different approaches have been done to increase mushroom yield at different time interval. These include selection and preparation of substrate, spawn and spawning strategy, supplementation of organic and inorganic nitrogen sources. The nutrient composition of substrate is one of the important factor limiting the saprobiotic colonization of cultivated mushrooms and particularly the fruiting of Pleurotus spp. The growth of microorganisms as well as qualitative and quantitative yield of the desirable product also depends on the utilization of nutrients from the growing medium. The nutritional content of the substrate can be enhanced by the addition of nitrogen to the substrate that helps in getting higher mushroom yield. Keeping this in mind, different bran, viz., wheat, rice, maize, barley (cereal bran), sorghum (millet bran), pea, gram and pigeon pea (legume bran) were evaluated as supplement @ 10% on dry weight basis of substrate for enhancing yield and biological efficiency of Pleurotus flabellatus. Among the bran used, wheat, rice, sorghum, pea and pigeon pea bran produced significant yield and biological efficiency of mushroom than the control. It was recorded maximum in rice bran (655 gm, 131%) followed by wheat bran (615 gm, 123%), pea bran (600 gm, 120%), pigeon pea bran (595 gm, 109%) and sorghum bran (580 gm, 116%). 

Effect of various supplements on mushroom cropping

Significantly (P=0.05) higher weight/sporocarp was obtained from the barley (12.50gm), pea (13.63 gm) and pigeon pea bran (15.42 gm)while none of them produced significant number of sporocarp.  (PDF file)

Cited this as: Siddhant, Singh R. and R.S. Kanaujia (2015): Effect of cereal, millet and legume bran supplement on yield and biological efficiency of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus flabellatus). Mushroom Research. 24(1): 69-74.