EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT SPAWNS AND SUBSTRATES ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF PLEUROTUS SAJOR-CAJU

A study was conducted to examine the effect of different types of spawns on oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sajor-caju) production using three types of substrates conventional [Soybean straw (SS), Wheat straw (WS) and Paddy straw (PS)] and non conventional [Domestic wastes (DW), Fruit waste (FW) and Used Tea leaves (UTL)]. Locally available grains of wheat (Triticum aestivum), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), jowar were used for spawn production. These spawns were used for spawning on the conventional and non-conventional substrates. Various parameters are examined such as spawn run time (mycelia development), pinhead formation, fruit body formation and yield. The experiments were setup as a randomized design with three replicates. Results revealed that wheat grain spawn produced better results in comparison to spawn grown on the maize and sorghum for spawn running, pinhead formation, fruit body formation and increased yield. The quickest spawn running of 17 days, early pinhead formation 21 days, greater yield of 934.4g/Kg with 93.4% BE was recorded with WS as a conventional substrate. Among the non conventional substrate DW was found to be best