Growth and Yield Performance of Oyster Mushroom (P. ostreatus (Jacq.: Fr.) Kummer) Using Waste Leaves and Sawdust

Mushroom is a fungus growing on decomposing substrates. It is the substrate type that affects the yield and quality of oyster mushroom. It can be cultivated by landless people to alleviate poverty. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth and yield performance of oyster mushroom in waste leaves and sawdust. Spawn were purchased from YB Plant Micropropagation Plc; Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia. Euclea racemosa waste leaves, Cordia africana waste leaves, and sawdust were prepared and inoculated with the spawn. Cotton husks were used as a control. 60 grams of spawn was used for 1000 g of each substrate and supplemented with 3% wheat bran and 1% gypsum. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. A one-way ANOVA model was used to indicate significant mean differences at 95% confidence interval between flushes. Treatment means were compared using Turkey’s t test. In the first flush, primordial initiation was fastest and took 6.33 days in Cordia africana waste leaves and provide higher (166 ± 48.49, 131.6 ± 32.71, 49.66 ± 15.53 gram) mean yield and BE (16.6 ± 4.84, 13.16 ± 3.27, 4.96 ± 5.5%) in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd flushes, respectively. However, in the 2nd and 3rd flushes, a lower (24.66 ± 4.61, 14.66 ± 0.57 gram) mean yield was recorded in Euclea racemosa waste leaves. Higher (10.63 ± 1.00, 7.83 ± 3.92, 6.56 ± 2.26 cm) mean pileus diameter and pileus thickness (8.3 ± 1.47, 7.76 ± 1.32, 4.10 ± 0.85 mm) were noted in sawdust in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd flushes, respectively. This study confirmed that the waste leaves of Cordia africana and Euclea racemosa could be used as an alternative substrate for the cultivation of oyster mushroom.