Full Length Research Paper

Effects of different substrates on the yield and protein content of Pleurotus tuberregium

Chiejina, Nneka V. and Olufokunbi, Joseph Olumide*

Department of Botany, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: joecomolu@yahoo.com.

Accepted 16 February, 2010

   Abstract

The effects of seven substrates for the cultivation, yield and protein content of the mushroom, Pleurotus tuberregium (Fries) Singer were investigated. The experimental design used was completely randomized design (CRD) of 7 treatments and 10 replicates. The highest fresh weight yield was obtained from mushrooms grown in river sand and sawdust mixture (T6) while the least was from those grown in top soil mixed with sawdust (T4). Oil palm fruit fibre (OPFF) substrate (T3) produced no fruit bodies at all. Protein analysis of the mushrooms revealed that those grown in river sand alone (T1) had the highest protein content while fruit bodies harvested from sawdust substrate alone (T2) had the least protein content. River sand plus sawdust substrate (T6) is recommended as the best substrate for the production of P. tuberregium in view of the fact that it produced the highest fruit body weight and its protein content was not significantly lower than that of river sand alone (T2).

Key words: Mushroom, Pleurotus tuberregium, substrates, protein.