Cultivation of Oyster Mushroom by using Two Different Substrates in Laboratory Condition

Mushrooms, a species of fungi, are cultivated worldwide using agricultural waste as a substrate due to their high lignin and cellulose content. This sustainable practice not only repurposes agricultural waste for mushroom production but also converts residual substrate into compost post-harvest. The present study aimed to evaluate the production rate of Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushrooms) on two alternative substrates: Thespesia leaves mixed with wheat straw and Tectona leaves mixed with wheat straw, compared to wheat straw alone as a control. The substrates were inoculated with Pleurotus spawn and maintained in laboratory conditions at 23°C and 80% humidity for four weeks. Yield performance across three flushes was analyzed for each substrate. Wheat straw exhibited the highest yield during the first flush (520 g), followed by Tectona leaves with wheat straw (490 g) and Thespesia leaves with wheat straw (243 g). Similar trends were observed during the second flush, with yields of 466 g, 290 g, and 360 g, respectively. However, in the third flush, Thespesia leaves with wheat straw recorded the highest yield (390 g), outperforming the other substrates. The total yields showed wheat straw as the superior substrate (1145 g), followed by Thespesia leaves with wheat straw (993 g) and Tectona leaves with wheat straw (940 g). The findings suggest that while wheat straw remains the most effective substrate for oyster mushroom cultivation, incorporating Thespesia leaves may enhance total yield over multiple flushes, highlighting their potential as an alternative substrate for sustainable mushroom production.