ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITIES OF MYCELIA AND CULTURE FILTRATE OF FOUR OYSTER MUSHROOM SPECIES (PLEUROTUS SPP.) AGAINST PATHOGENIC FUNGI

Abstract

Antifungal activities of four Pleurotus spp. (oyster mushrooms) against three pathogenic fungi -Trichoderma harzianum, Verticillium sp. and Pythium sp. were evaluated by interaction between mushroom and pathogenic fungi mycelia. The best inhibitory activity of 55.56% was by P. salmoneostramineus against Verticillium sp., while least percent inhibition of 46.15% was by mycelia of Pleurotus ostreatus (grey) against T. harzianum. Then Pleurotus ostreatus (grey) grew over the mycelia of Pythium sp by 5.33 days while P. cornucopiae var. citrinopileatus mycelia did not grow over the mycelia of Verticillium sp. and T. harzianum. Antifungal activity of culture filtrate of Pleurotus spp. on agar media was variable.The highest inhibitionwas 12.33% followed 11.60% for P. salmoneostramineus and P. ostreatus (grey) against Verticillium sp. and T. harzianum respectively. Whereas a lower inhibition at 1.34% and 1.75% was observed for culture filtrate of P. cornucopiae and P. ostreatus (grey)agains..