Comparative evaluation of different Pleurotus spp in selected ligno-cellulosic residues from agricultural and horticultural ecosystems

Abstract

Converting lingo-cellulosic crop residues into protein rich mushrooms is one of the most economically viable and sustainable biotechnology processes to address the growing demand for food and quality protein. In the present investigation, the large scale availability of lignocellulosic residues in wetland, garden land and horticultural ecosystems of three different substrates viz., paddy straw, maize cobs and shredded are canut leaf sheath have been evaluated for the cultivation of different species of Pleurotus viz., Hypsizygus ulmarius var. CO (OM) 2, Pleurotus eous var. APK1, P.florida (Pf), P.pulmonarius, P. platypus and Pleurotus florida in the polybag size 35x25cm under homogenized cropping system. The results revealed that, paddy straw was more suitable for the cultivation of tested species of Pleurotus followed by shredded arecanut leaf sheath. Among the species tested, P.platypus recorded the maximum yield of 319.4, 478.9 and 376.4g in paddy straw, maize cob and shredded arecanut leaf sheath substrates, respectively with an average bioefficiency of 127.9, 119.5 and 125.4 per cent, respectively. Whereas, P.florida recorded higher yield (345.4g) in areca nut leaf sheath followed by its better performance in maize cobs