Cultivation Yield and Nutritional Value of Oyster Mushroom Cultivated on Two Lignocellulosic Wastes

ABSTRACT The yield and proximate composition of Pleurotus ostreatus were evaluated using corncob and sawdust substrates to determine the yield and nutritional status of the mushroom as affected by the varying substrates. Pleurotus ostreatus was cultivated following sequential steps of substrates composting, bagging, sterilization of bagged compost, spawning, incubation, and cropping. Results indicated that P. ostreatus cultivated on corncob substrate had the highest value for stipe length and diameter, pileus thickness, fresh weight and biological efficiency. However, P. ostreatus harvested on sawdust substrate had the highest pileus diameter (P<0.05). Additionally, the highest amount (P<0.05) of crude fat (2.22%), protein (28.40%), crude fibre (8.69), carbohydrates (46.38%) were recorded on fruiting bodies harvested from corncob substrate while higher ash (3.12%) and moisture contents (8.50%) were found in fruit bodies harvested from sawdust substrate. Consequently, the corncob substrate produced fruiting bodies with better yield and nutritional value ompared to the sawdust substrate. Therefore, corncob substrate could be exploited as alternative substrate to wood sawdust for more sustainable production of oyster mushroom (P. ostreatus).