EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES AND SUPPLEMENTS ON OYSTER MUSHROOM (Pleurotus ostreatus) PRODUCTION AT LAMAHI, DANG, NEPAL

Pleurotus ostreatus is a commercially important edible mushroom known for its ability to decompose the complex organic material. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of different locally available substrates and supplements on oyster mushroom production. Also, it seeks to identify the most effective substrate supplement combinations for maximizing yield. The research was conducted inside a mushroom-house at Bangaun, Deukhuri, Dang. Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications was employed to study the effects of nine treatments i.e. banana leaves, rice straw, banana leaves + maize flour, banana leaves + rice straw, rice straw + maize flour, banana leaves +rice straw + maize flour, banana leaves + rice bran, rice straw + rice bran and banana leaves + rice straw + rice bran. The substrates were steam sterilization, cooled, and inoculated with mushroom spawn at a rate of 3% of their weight. Data were collected over three harvests. Banana leaves were found to be the most suitable substrate with the highest biological efficiency (120.55%) (the ratio of mushroom yield to the dry weight of substrate) and yield (1.94kg). The shortest stipe length (22.55 mm) was seen in Rice straw + Maize flour while the largest cap diameter was found in Banana leaves + Rice straw + Maize flour (77.53 mm). According to the research, the greatest overall results in mushroom cultivation were obtained by using banana leaves without any supplements, although certain supplements can enhance specific growth metrics. Based on the results, farmers in Nepal are encouraged to use banana leaves as the main substrate for Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation because of their high availability and biological effectiveness. Keywords: Pleurotus ostreatus, Mushroom, Substrate, Biological efficiency, Yield