NewBioWorld A
Journal of Alumni Association of Biotechnology (2024) 6(2):8-12
RESEARCH
ARTICLE
Eco-Friendly Agricultural Waste
Management through Pleurotus sapidus Cultivation
Hemshikha Sahu*, Rupinder Diwan, Devnarayan Patel
Department of Botany, Govt. Nagarjuna P.G. College
of Science, Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
Authors Email- hshemshikha16@gmail.com, rupinderdiwan@gmail.com, devpatel121997@gmail.com
*Corresponding Author Email- hshemshikha16@gmail.com
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ARTICLE INFORMATION
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ABSTRACT
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Article history:
Received
23 October 2024
Received in revised form
12 December 2024
Accepted
Keywords:
Pure
culture;
Spawn;
Substrate;
Oyster
Mushroom;
Media;
Temperature
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Mushroom farming presents a
promising agribusiness opportunity, offering farmers a chance to improve
their financial stability. Mushrooms are a rich source of protein, vitamins,
and minerals. The study aims to examine the effective use of agricultural
waste for mushroom production, known for their taste and nutritional
benefits, mushrooms provide a low-salt, low-sugar option and are a natural
source of vitamin D and vitamin B12. This research focuses on exploring the Pleurotus
sapidus cultivation on various substrates which demonstrates the potential of
agricultural waste as a viable substrate for growing Pleurotus sapidus. Growth
of Pleurotus sapidus on five substrates including paddy straw, gram straw,
wheat straw, lentil straw and saw dust were investigated. The result showed
that using paddy straw as a substrate for oyster mushroom large scale
production offers an eco-friendly method of managing agricultural waste while
supporting mushroom cultivation.
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Introduction
DOI: 10.52228/NBW-JAAB.2024-6-2-2
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Agriculture is the foundation of the state economy. About 70% of the
working population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture.
Chhattisgarh is the 10th largest and 16th most-populated state of India.
Favorable soil and climatic conditions helped the state to be a leading
producer of paddy, jowar, groundnut, gram, oilseeds and wheat in the country
(Sharma et al., 2014). However, the agricultural practices in the state
generate a significant amount of agricultural waste. Unfortunately, many farmers
burn this waste, leading to environmental pollution which adversely affects the
micro-organisms in the soil. Fungal treatments have been recognized as a
promising method to enhance the physical and chemical structure of agricultural
waste. Exploring the cultivation of mushrooms using agricultural waste can
serve as a potential solution to this problem. Food insecurity stands as one of
the burning global challenges, particularly prevalent in low- and middle-income
nations characterized by inadequate food production systems and widespread
malnutrition. Mushroom cultivation offers a potential solution to mitigate poverty
and enhance the quality of life for vulnerable populations. Mushrooms are
achlorophyllous, spore producing, macro-fungi having a heterotrophic mode of
nutrition. It usually grows above ground that contains cap, stem, and hymenium
(Masarirambi et al., 2011). The Oyster mushroom Pleurotus sp. is
known by this name because of typical shape of pileus resembling to Oyster
shell (Wani & Sawani 1998, Al-Momany & Ananbeh, 2011). Oyster mushroom is
classified into the kingdom; fungi, and order; Agaricales. Mushrooms are
usually called a white vegetable, queen of vegetables, and boneless vegetarian
meat. Protein contents are 20-35% higher in mushrooms as compared to vegetables
and fruits (Randive, 2012). Mushrooms are rich in amino acids, vitamins,
potassium, protein, fibers and have a low level of cholesterol and fats
(Rafique, 1996). Edible mushrooms have a low crude fat content and a high
proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (Jonathan et al., 2013, Fufa et
al., 2021). Mushroom contains more than 90% water and less than 1% fat,
loaded with Vitamin B, copper and selenium and low in sodium (Ramamurthi &
Geethalakshmi). Mushrooms are a popular delicious food enjoyed by both
vegetarians and non-vegetarians. They have the potential to serve as a valuable
source of vitamin D2, particularly for populations susceptible to vitamin D
deficiency. Typically, Vitamin D is added to vegetables, milk, and various food
items through irradiation or direct supplementation. However, mushrooms
distinguish themselves in this aspect as they are naturally rich in Vitamin D,
a nutrient primarily obtained from animals or poultry. This special feature of
mushroom is due to the high amount of the plant sterol "Ergosterol"
found in mushrooms. Acting as a precursor, Ergosterol converts to Vitamin D
when exposed to sunlight or artificial light sources (Sharma, 2015). Growing
mushrooms is the most practical and cost-effective way to reuse agricultural
waste material and plant residues from the forest. The global focus has shifted
towards the bioconversion of agricultural residues into food in recent years.
The cultivation of edible mushrooms stands out as a promising avenue for
producing high-quality, protein-rich food while effectively recycling
cellulosic agro-residues and other wastes. This approach represents a highly
efficient and economically viable biotechnology for converting lignocellulosic
waste materials into high-quality food. Cultivation of the oyster mushroom, Pleurotus
spp. has increased greatly throughout the world during the last few decades and
constitutes the second largest variety of mushrooms produced in the world. Its
popularity has been increasing due to its ease of cultivation on various
unfermented cellulose and lignin containing wastes, high yield potential, high
nutritional value and purported to have medicinal properties (Banik &
Nandi, 2004, Gregori et al., 2007 and Mshandete, 2011). The study
compared how different agricultural wastes affect the growth and yield of
oyster mushrooms. The aim of this research is to find out the best substrate
for cultivation of oyster mushroom at large scale.
Literature Review
Rajarathnam et al.
(1987), studied morphology, life cycle, taxonomy, cultivation and
breeding of Pleurotus mushrooms. Lechner et al. (2004) analyzed
the morphological characters of specimens of the genus Pleurotus in
Argentina obtained in the field and from different national herbaria. Thakur
(2005) studied biology of edible mushrooms. Evaluation of various substrates
and supplements for biological efficiency of Pleurotus sajor-caju
and Pleurotus ostreatus were done by Fanadzo et al.
(2010). Rawte and Diwan (2019) worked on production potential and biological
efficiency of five Pleurotus species. Patel et al. (2020) found Pleurotus
species as a source of nutraceuticals including vitamin B12 and lignocellulosic
degradative enzyme. Chouhan et al. (2022) worked on production and
assessment of stick-shaped spawns of oyster mushroom from banana leaf-midribs.
Materials and Methods
The research work was conducted in the research
laboratory, Botany Department, Nagarjuna P.G. College of Science, Raipur,
Chhattisgarh, during October to December, year 2023. The substrates used for
the cultivation of Pleurotus sapidus were, Paddy straw, Saw dust, Wheat
straw, Gram straw, Lentil straw. The following procedure outlined below was
used for cultivating Pleurotus sapidus:
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Pure culture Preparation:
To establish a pure culture, the potato dextrose
agar-agar (PDA) culture or tissue culture planting method was used. In each
test-tube, approximately 10-15ml of PDA medium was poured and sealed. The
medium was sterilized in an autoclave for 45 minutes at 121°C. The sterilized
PDA medium in the test-tubes was then positioned in a slanting manner for
inoculation. For tissue culture, fresh fruiting bodies of mushroom were
utilized. A small section of the internal tissue from a broken mushroom was
carefully excised using a flamed needle. Subsequently, the needle with the tissue
was promptly introduced into a slanting test-tube and the tube was sealed.
After 3 to 4 days, the agar surface exhibited the growth of a white mycelium.
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Preparation of Mother Spawn and Sister Spawn:
The substrate for the mother spawn was created by manually
combining 300 g of high-quality wheat grains with 0.5% CaCO3. This
mixture was tightly packed into polypropylene (pp) bags. The pp bags were
sterilized in an autoclave for one hour at 121°C and cooled it for 24 hours.
Once cooled, aseptically, a piece of pure culture of mushroom was introduced
into the mouth of each bag. All bags were securely sealed and placed in a dark
growth chamber at 25±1°C. After 15 to 20 days, the bags displayed white cottony
appearance, indicating complete mycelium colonization. The mature mother spawn
was ready for use in inoculating spawn packets, facilitating the preparation of
sister spawn for the subsequent readiness of mushroom bags.
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Preparation of Mushroom Bags:
The substrates went through a 24-hour soaking period
in lime water to ensure thorough moisture saturation. Subsequently, they were
arranged on a steep, cemented floor to eliminate excess moisture, achieving a
targeted moisture level of 65-75%. Lime was incorporated at a rate of 5% on a
dry weight basis. Each substrate was placed into a pp bag, and their openings
were sealed by inserting water-absorbing cotton with the assistance of plastic
rings. The bags were autoclaved at 121°C under 15-20 lbs pressure and were then
allowed to cool. The following day, post-sterilization, the bags were
inoculated with Pleurotus sapidus spawn, at a rate of 5% per bag based
on the dry weight of substrates. The bags were placed in a room for spawn
running in complete darkness, maintaining a controlled temperature of 25°C.
Mushroom cultivation involves three crucial phases: spawn running, pinhead
formation and fructification, with temperature and humidity playing vital roles
in both phases. Pinholes were created in the bags to facilitate the release of
gases. After the completion of spawn running and full colonization of the
mycelium in mushroom bag, the bags were watered 2-3 times a day during the
cropping phase. The growth of mycelium on substrates, emergence of pinheads,
and maturation of fruiting bodies were observed, and the time taken for each growth
stage was recorded in days across various substrates. Additionally, data on the
yield, including the quantity of fruiting bodies, and the biological efficiency
of substrates were documented. The overall biological efficiency of each substrate
was calculated based on the dry weight of each substrate.
Table 1. Growth of Pleurotus
sapidus in various substrates.
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Sl.No.
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Name of different substrates
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Days taken for completion of spawn running
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Days for pinheads’ formation
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Days taken for fruiting bodies formation
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Average number of fruiting bodies
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1.
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Paddy straw
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9+1
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15+1
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19+1
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44+2
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2.
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Wheat straw
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10+1
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16+1
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20+1
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31+2
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3.
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Gram straw
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11+1
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17+1
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21+1
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32+2
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4.
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Lentil straw
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11+1
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17+1
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21+1
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34+2
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5.
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Saw dust
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11+1
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17+1
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21+1
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31+2
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Picture 1. Displays representative fruit bodies of
Formulas 1–5 from left to right.
Table 2. Yield components and Biological efficiency of different
substrates.
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Sl.No.
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Name of different substrates
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Weight of each
substrate (in gms)
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Average yield of mushroom in
three flushes (in gms)
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Biological efficiency
in percentage
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1.
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Paddy straw
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1000
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948.33
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94.83
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2.
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Wheat straw
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1000
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887.66
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88.76
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3.
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Gram straw
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1000
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815
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81.5
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4.
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Lentil straw
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1000
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698.33
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69.83
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5.
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Saw dust
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1000
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701
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70.1
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Result and Discussion
Table 1 and 2 showcase the diverse results derived
from this research. The mushrooms cultivation involves three crucial phases:
spawn running, pinhead formation, and fruiting body development, all of which
demand appropriate humidity and temperature. Optimal outcomes were observed at
a temperature of 25°C during spawn running and 20-25°C for fructification.
·
Spawn running
Table 1 reveals that the spawn running process takes
9-12 days after inoculation, with all substrates being inoculated on the same
day.
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Pinheads’ formation
The pinheads formation represents the second phase
of mycelial growth in mushroom cultivation. Small, pinhead-like structures were
observed, emerging 6-7 days after the completion of spawn running. These
research on Pleurotus sapidus concluded spawn running in 9-12 days on
various substrates, with pinhead formation occurring between 15-17 days.
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Fruiting bodies formation
This marks the third and concluding stage in
mushroom cultivation. Fruiting bodies emerged 4-5 days after the formation of
pinheads and approximately 19-21 days post-inoculation of spawn. The appearance
of fruiting bodies occurs in 2-3 weeks after the inoculation of spawn (pic. 1).
Figure 1
Figure 2
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Yield of Oyster mushroom
The Oyster mushroom crop was harvested in three
flushes, with the highest yield observed in the first flush, followed by the
second and third flushes (Table 2 and fig. 1). The paddy straw substrate
yielded the maximum average of 948.33 grams, making it a recommended and
optimal choice for Pleurotus sapidus cultivation.
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Biological efficiency
The biological efficiency of different substrates was
calculated relative to the dry weight of each substrate. As indicated in Table
2 and fig. 2, paddy straw exhibited the highest biological efficiency at 94.83%,
followed by wheat straw at 88.76%, gram straw at 81.5%, sawdust at 70.1% and lentil
straw at 69.83%. Therefore, utilizing paddy straw is recommended for farmers to
enhance the conversion of food into mushrooms.
BE = (Wt. of fresh mushroom fruiting bodies) * 100
Wt. of
dry substrate
Picture
2: Morphology and pure culture of Pleurotus
sapidus
Conclusion
Upon analyzing the data regarding the Pleurotus
sapidus growth on various substrates, paddy straw emerged as a promising
medium for cultivating Pleurotus sapidus in this region. Furthermore,
farmers can effectively transform significant quantities of paddy straw into
delicious and nutritious food in tropical and subtropical regions. Typically,
these by-products are neglected, either left to decay in fields or disposed of
by burning. An effective solution lies in utilizing locally accessible
lignocellulosic substrates for cultivating oyster mushrooms. This approach
effectively converts these inedible wastes into valuable edible biomass with
high market and nutritional worth.
Acknowledgement
I owe my sincere and deep sense of gratitude to Dr.
(Mrs.) Rupinder Diwan, Rtd. Professor and Head of Botany Department, for her constant
guidance, valuable advice, constructive criticism, comments, suggestions and
encouragement throughout the experiment.
I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to
Dr. P.C. Choubey, Rtd. Principal of Govt. Nagarjuna P.G. College of Science,
Raipur, Chhattisgarh, for his immense support, insightful guidance, and
constant encouragement throughout this research.
Conflict of Interest Authors declare that they have no
conflict of interest.
Ethical Compliance Standard not
applicable.
Funding information not
applicable.
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