Effect of Different Substrates and Supplement with Three Types of Spawn on Letinula Edodes Parameters for First Production in Iraq

Abstract

Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) can have an important role specially in agriculture where land is limited. This study was the first step to improve mushroom cultivation in Iraq by using locally available lignocellulosic materials as substrates, supplements and types of spawn. Effect of substrates, supplements and spawn on mycelium and browning period, time of three flush, weight of three flush, biological efficiency (BE), total yield, diameter of cap and length of stalk. Used substrates were sawdust and Phragmites australis, supplements were Sesbania sesban, Trifolium and molasses factories residuals. The treatment were T1( sawdust 73%, Sesbania sesban20%), T2(Sawdust73%, Trifolium20%), T3(Phragmites australis vegetative73%, Sesbania sesban20%),T4 (Phragmites australis vegetative73%, Trifolium20%), T5 (Phragmites australis fruiting), T6 (Phragmites australis vegetative73%, Trifolium20%), T6(73%, Sesbania sesban20%) and 2% CaCO3 , 5% molasses factories residuals for all treatment. Spawn used were wheat grains C1, date seeds C2, white corn grains C3. Results show that faster mycelium covering substrate was at T1 (23.167 days), T6 gave the first complete browning (55.417 days), the days of three flushes were (68.91, 88.42 and 107.83 days) for T5, T6 and T6 respectively. T6 was superior by showing highest values of weight of three flush (73.93, 76.13 and 49.06 g for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively), total yield and BE (199.14 g and 49.784 % respectively), and diameter of cap and length of stalk (6.7 and 6.0 cm respectively). Hence, T6 which content of Phragmites australis in fruiting stage, Trifolium and molasses was the best substrate used in this study, while C2 (date grains) was best type of spawn.