Effect of Crude Oil Polluted Soil and Substrate Quantity on Some Morphological Characters of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm and Pleurotus pulmonarius (Fries) Quel Fruit Bodies

The study was conducted to determine the influence of different levels of crude oil pollution on some morphological characteristics of P. ostreatus and P. pulmonariusfruit bodies. Crude oil treatment was done at 2%, 4% and 6% levels to 2,500 g/kg of garden soil. A.gayanus substrate was used in two quantity layers of 150 g/kg (4 cm) and 300 g/kg (8 cm) and placed on top of the polluted soil before spawn inoculation. The Cap Size (C.S cm), Stipe Length (S.L cm) and Weight (Wt. g/kg) of each mature mushroom fruit body were determined. Data collected were analysed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), while mean separation was done using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). Results showed that mean and standard error mean (mean± SEM) of C.S, S.L, and Wt of fruit bodies of both oyster mushrooms were not significantly different at p<0.05. Therefore, the various levels of crude oil pollution (2%, 4%, and 6%), as well as A.gayanus substrate layers/quantities of 4 cm/150 g/kg and 8 cm/300 g/kg did not affect some of the morphological characters of the Oyster mushroom species studied.