Assessment on growth and yield performance of mushroom (Pleurotus Ostreatus) from different bio-waste in Umudike, Abia state, Nigeria

This study was carried out to determine the growth and yield performance of Pleurotus ostreatus on different substrates of bio-waste carried out in Wood Science and Forest Based Industries Laboratory Unit, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State. Five different substrates treatments from (Gmelina Arborea sawdust, Garcinia kola sawdust, corncob, rice straw and composite mixture) were used to grow the oyster mushroom with different substrates in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replicates. The results on the growth performance of mushroom reveals cap diameter were higher than corncob, bitter kola and lower in gmelina 50.63 cm, 48.93 cm and 8.2 cm) respectively. Stipe length were higher in hard sawdust (20 cm), followed by that of rice straw (16.67 cm) and lower in soft sawdust (1.7 cm). Fruits numbers were higher in corncob (15.57), medium in rice straw (15.90) and lower in soft sawdust (1.00). Result in variation of yield weight on oyster mushroom reveals that fresh weight shows nosignificant difference at p≤0.05, while yield weight variations in dry weight reveals corncob were significant at value (0.0532). Result on fruiting duration variation reveals that corncob, rice straw, soft sawdust was significant (P≤0.05) while the composite mixture was not significant at p≤0.05. Variation in harvesting duration reveals that soft sawdust, rice straw, corncobs were significantly higher than composite and hard sawdust. Result on biological efficiency reveals highes in rice straw(13.5%),corncorb(12.8%) and lowest softsawdust(0.01%). Considering all the parameters investigated; corncob and rice straw are recommended as the best substrates for the cultivation of oyster mushroom for better growth and yield performance than other bio-waste substrate medium. Keywords: Sawdust, Bio-waste, Growth, Mushroom, Substrate, Yield Performance