Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

PERFORMANCE OF PLEUROTUS SPECIES IN UTILIZING LIGNOCELLULOSIC AGRO-WASTE UNDER ARID ENVIRONMENT OF WESTERN RAJASTHAN, INDIA

S. K. Singh*, Anjly Pancholy and Rakesh Pathak

Abstract

In arid regions, biodiversity and biomass are limited by water availability. The Pleurotus species being indigenous to hot subtropical and tropical regions can play a key role in water sequestration, nutrient cycling, human nutrition and bioremediation of waste materials. Identification of suitable substrate material is crucial for successful oyster mushroom cultivation. The performance of five putative Pleurotus species on selected lignocellulosic agro-waste substrates under two temperature regimes was evaluated. Irrespective of Pleurotus species and or substrate tested, the complete spawn was achieved relatively faster when spawning was done in October as compared to December month except in P. florida. All the Pleurotus species produced the maximum mushroom yield with the highest BE on wheat straw which was statistically at par with BE obtained on moth bean substrate under both the growing conditions with the maximum being of P. sapidus. Based on fruit body BE patterns, P. sapidus and P. florida can be grown right from mid of October to mid of February, whereas, P. sajor-caju can be grown with economical yields from October to December months. P. flabellatus was not found suitable for cultivation in this arid region due to least BE in both the growing seasons.