Wattle and pineapple residues as oyster mushroom substrates and the utilization of spent substrate in potted tomato production

Cultivating oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) could have multiple advantages. For example, it can contribute to food security and malnutrition eradication, as a source of healthy and nutritionally rich food. Feeding on lignocellulosic crop/plant residues, these mushroom species also convert waste materials into a wide diversity of products which have multi-beneficial effects to human beings: serving as animal feed and fertiliser, and for protecting and regenerating the environment. Therefore, objectives of the current research were (1) to investigate the use of the rapidly increasing alien plants (Acacia spp.) in South Africa in cultivating of oyster mushroom for dual benefits, income generating and controlling the population of the alien (invasive) plants; (2) to evaluate the use of pineapple residue in the Eastern Cape as sole substrate or as a supplement in the cultivation of oyster mushroom; (3) to determine the effect of mushroom spent substrate, as organic growing media, on growth of tomatoes and controlling nematode population. In an experiment to investigate yield performance of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus HK 35) grown on three acacia species [black wattle (BW: Acacia mearnsii) , silver wattle (SW: A. dealbata) and green wattle (GW: A. decurrens)] used as substrates either mixed with 50% maize bran (MB) or 50% wheat straw (WS)