The Potential of Using Cost-Effective Compost Mixtures for Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus spp) Cultivation in Sri Lanka

Edible mushroom cultivation is a profitable cottage industry, in which oyster mushroom occupies a prominent place in Sri Lanka. A good substrate is a key factor that determines the profitability of the mushroom cultivation. The Department of Agriculture recommends soya flour as a nitrogen supplement for mushroom substrate. Nonetheless production cost could be minimized if cheaper nitrogen sources could replace the traditional ingredients. Therefore the relative efficacy of six compost mixtures, each amended with one of the following nitrogen sources (viz-gliricidia leaf powder, poultry litter and urea) were compared with the standard soya flour amended compost mixture to study their suitability as potential substitute/s. The addition of gliricidia leaf powder and urea were determined by the percentage nitrogen (%N) of each compound. Percentage N of well-decomposed poultry litter was calculated by using kjeldhal method (Available N =%N*6.25). The experiment was laid in Complete Randomized Design with seven treatments and fourteen replicates. The mycelia growth rate after spawning, mush-room yield, and the duration for the first frutification were used as indicators. The results revealed that the most suitable compost mixtures for higher mushroom yields were those containing 6.6% poultry litter.

Keywords: oyster mushroom; culture substrate; mycelial growth; frutification

DOI: 10.4038/tare.v10i0.1868

Tropical Agricultural Research & Extension Vol.10 2007 29-32