CULTIVATION OF OYSTER MUSHROOM (Pleurotus tuber-regium) ON SELECTED ORGANIC WASTES

Cultivation of OYSTER MUSHROOM (Pleurotus tuber-regium) on selected organic waste was carried out in the Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Science of the University of Port Harcourt. The study evaluated the effect of selected organic wastes on the growth and yield of Pleurotus tuber-regium (Fr. Singer). The organic wastes (Dry Substrates which include Maize cob, Cassava peelings, Plantain peelings and water melon pod) were used in the study. Experiments were carried out using Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 4 treatment and 3 replicates. Maize cob (T1) and Cassava peelings (T2) Supported very abundant mycelial growth and also the development of healthy fruit bodies of the fungus studied. Plantain peelings (T3) and water melon pod (T4) supported abundant and moderate mycelial growth of P. tuberregium respectively but fruit bodies were not developed on them. In all parameters measured fruit bodies produced on T1 were better than those on T2 except in dry weight. In terms of average diameter of pileus on T1 it was 13.0cm while on T2 it was 10.2cm; average number of healthy fruit bodies formed on T1 was 20, on T2, 15: average height of stipe on T1 was 7.0cm and on T2, 5.1cm: average fresh weight of fruit bodies on T1 was 87.3g where as it was 85.0g on T2 but the dry weight of P. tuber-regium was 21.8g on both T1 and T2. The Biological efficiency (B.E) of P. tuber-regium produced on T1 was 8.7% and 8.5% on T2.Corn cobs and cassava peelings which are major agro wastes abundantly found in Nigeria, have been found to excellently support the mycelial growth and fruit body formation of pleurotus tuber-regium. P. tuber-regium a Nigerian edible mushroom is therefore recommended to both existing and intending mushroom farmers because of its good growth performance on various substrates.