African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (7), pp. 615-619, July 2005          
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2005 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The effect of the interaction of various spawn grains with different culture medium on carpophore dry weights and stipe and pileus diameters of Lentinus squarrosulus

(Mont.) Singer

NWANZE pi^1*, KHAN AU², AMEH JB³ AND UMOH VJ⁴

¹Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Igbinedion University,Okada, P.M.B. 0006, Edo State, Nigeria.

²Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State,Nigeria.

³Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State,Nigeria.

⁴Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State,Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author’s E-mail: stonenwanze@yahoo.com.

Accepted 14 April, 2005

Lentinus squarrosulus, an indigenous mushroom specie commonly found growing on dead logs in the Zaria environ of Kaduna State was cultured on six different medium which were inoculated separately with three different spawn grains and amended with six different oils at five different rates. The interaction of spawn grains x culture medium had a highly significant effect on carpophore dry weight and stipe and pileus diameters of L. squarrosulus. The results reveal that the interaction of millet spawn x animal bedding and rice medium induced the widest stipe diameter while the interaction of corn spawn x animal bedding and rice medium induced the heaviest carpophore dry weight as well as the widest pileus diameter.

Key words: Lentinus squarrosulus, spawn grain, carpophore production, non-composted culture medium, polypropylene heat resistant bags, flushes, stipe and pileus diameter, fruiting bodies.