Investigation on the effective substrate for high yields of Pleurotus ostreatus: A case study of Kinyerezi Tanzania
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Date
2023-02-09
Authors
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Publisher
Huria Journal of Tanzania
Abstract
Investigation on what substrate combination is more effective in
producing high yields of Pleurotus ostreatus in local greenhouses was
conducted at Kinyerezi (6°50'27.2"S, 39°10'26.5"E) in Dar es Salaam in
2020 aiming on producing a substrate protocol which will maximize
yielding of mushrooms in local greenhouses. Sugar, grain chaff and lime
were added in specified ratios to the compost of sliced banana leaves and
saw dust and followed by sterilization for 4 hours and cooling for 24
hours before being packaged in 1 kg bags for fungal inoculation. 450
plastic bags of compost were inoculated with mushroom spores and left
for 28 days for colonization. The compost was sparingly watered to
maintain the optimal humidity, temperature and pH for germination of
mushrooms. Mushroom germination in 100 bags with additional sugar,
100 bags with additional grain chaff and 100 bags with additional lime
were monitored for four months where germination percentage and
germination number were monthly recorded and used for statistical
analysis. Bags with additional sugar indicated a significant difference in
the monthly germination percentage (P=0.002248, df = 2). Additional
sugar descriptively increased germination number from 30 to 173 than
other substrates which increased from 0.5 to 16.5. However, the increase
was statistically not significant P=0.25246, df = 2. Mushroom growers
are advised to use the compost formula as indicated in this investigation
as a new knowledge contributed by the research. The use of added sugar
as a substrate in the compost is mandatory
Description
Mushrooms are nutritive foods and medicinal
Keywords
Substrates, compost, mushrooms, inoculation, local greenhouse
Citation
Washa, (2023). Investigation on the effective substrate for high yields of Pleurotus ostreatus: A case study of Kinyerezi Tanzania