African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5 (4), pp. 338-342, 16 February 2006   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2006 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Bacteria associated with compost used for cultivation of Nigerian edible mushrooms Pleurotus tuber-regium (Fr.) Singer, and Lentinus squarrosulus (Berk.)

JONATHAN SEGUN GBOLAGADE

Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. E-mail: gbolyjoe@yahoo.com.

Accepted 30 January, 2006

The bacteria involved in an outdoor single phase composting using sawdust and wheat bran as substrates for cultivation of Pleurotus tuber-regium (Fr.) Singer, and Lentinus squarrosulus (Berk.), two Nigerian edible mushrooms were identified. Composting was carried out for 2 weeks. The highest core and peripheral temperatures were 68 and 48ºC, respectively, while the lowest temperature was 32ºC. The highest number of bacteria in the core and peripheral compost were 1.46 x 10⁶ and 6.90 x 10⁵ cfu/ml, respectively. Bacteria isolated and characterized from the fermenting agricultural substrates include Bacillus polymyxa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Micrococcus roseus, Citrobacter freundii, Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli. The implication of the presence of these bacteria is discussed.

Key words: Lentinus squarrosulus, Pleurotus tuber-regium, bacteria mushrooms, compost, fermentation.