Comparative Yield Analysis of Oyster Mushrooms on Various Substrates

Pleurotus ostreatus, commonly known as the oyster mushroom, is a large reproductive structure of edible fungi thatbelongs to either Ascomycotina or Basidiomycotina. The oyster mushroom is often called "Mushrooms for All Seasons"because several species grow in different temperate climates. It is the second most cultivated edible mushroom worldwide,after Agaricus bisporus, and it possesses significant economic, ecological, and medicinal value. Several oyster mushroomspecies in India are cultivated year-round, with Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus sajor-caju being the most common. Mushroomsupplementation is an agronomic process that involves adding nutritional amendments to the substrates used for mushroomcultivation. The addition of external nutrients can increase the productivity of some low-yielding mushroom varieties. Sixsubstrate formulas were investigated: 100% paddy straw, 100% paddy straw with a supplement, 75% paddy straw with 25%rice bran and a supplement, and 50% paddy straw with 50% rice bran, both with and without a supplement. The results indicatedthat different substrate formulas significantly affected the total colonisation period, characteristics of fruiting bodies, biologicalefficiency, and nutritional content.