Growth and yield of Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) Singer, a Nigerian edible mushroom, as affected by supplements.

Abstract

The effect of supplements on the growth of Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont) Singer, a Nigerian edible mushroom, was in-vestigated. L. squarrosulus was cultivated on two different cellulosic wastes supplemented with banana peel and poultry manure for 4 weeks. Vegetative growth and proximate composition of the sclerotia were monitored as an index of growth. The result showed that L. squarrosulus was able to utilize the supplemented agricultural waste for vegetative growth. Substrate supplemented with 5 or 10 g poultry manure and banana peel improved mycelia extension. Wood waste of Cordia milleni supplemented with poultry manure induced the widest mycelia extension. The nutritional analysis of L. squarrosulus showed high protein and carbohydrate contents (25.57 a ±0.01 proteins and total carbohydrates of 52.19 a ±0.14 for maize cob with poultry manure), but accompanied by low fat contents of 1.78 a ± 0.001 on for maize cob with banana peel. All the treatments showed a high K value, followed by Na, P and Ca. The significances of the nutritional and mineral elements are discussed.