PROPERTIES OF FRUIT BODIES OF OYSTER MUSHROOM (PLEUROTUS OSTREATUS) CULTIVATED ON SOME LOCAL CELLULOSIC RESIDUES IN IRAQ

Abstract

In this work, some available local cellulosic substrates namely; S1 (wheat straw) as a control, S2 (70% wheat straw, 20% sawdust and 10% date palm fiber), S3 (50% wheat straw, 30% sawdust and 20% date palm fiber), S4 (sawdust) and S5 (date palm fiber), were used for cultivation white oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus. The shorter period for completion of mycelial growth in bags was 12 days on S2 and S3 media, significantly (P <0.05), whereas, the longer time was 15 days on S4 and S5 media compared with the control (S1) at average 13 days. Biological efficiency percent was 26.1% on S2 medium as a higher percent compared with 23.8% on control medium, while S4 medium was unsuitable for cultivation this strain. In significant (P <0.05), S5 medium showed higher diameter of cap (67 mm) compared with the control medium (S1) at value approx. 60 mm