Cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus on agricultural wastes and effects on nutritional composition of the fruiting body.

Little interest has been shown in studies related to the effects of cultivating Pleurotus ostreatus on agricultural wastes and their impacts on nutritional value and biological efficiency of the fruiting body. Oil palm fiber, rice husk, sawdust from hardwood, guinea grass, bean pods and rice straw were collected in dried form and used as substrates. Active mycelium of P. ostreatus was used in preparation of spawn, and growth was observed after 30 days following inoculation and fruiting bodies were harvested for analysis. The proximate composition of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, moisture, dry matter and carbohydrate composition; antioxidant properties from flavonoids, phenol, lycopene, beta carotene, and ascorbic acid and composition of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn and Zn varied across substrates. All cultivated P. ostreatus on substrates contained high amounts of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, moisture, dry matter and carbohydrate, flavonoid, phenol, lycopene, beta carotene, and ascorbic acid, and mineral ions such as Na, K, P, N and Ca. Dry weight and biological efficiency were highest in P. ostreatus cultivated on rice straw, followed by bean pods. Pleurotus ostreatus grown on substrates used contained high amounts of nutrients. Rice straw and bean pods may be used to achieve high nutritional composition and antioxidant contents in P. ostreatus mushrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]