Effects of Various Substrates and Supplements on King Oyster (Pleurotus eryngii)

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the possible use of prominent agricultural wastes, including wheat and barley straw, maize stem residue, wood chips, sugar beet pulp, and sawdust as basal substrates, as well as wheat and rice bran, soybean powder, and their combinations as food supplements on king oyster mushroom production. A factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications. The highest yield (2363.2 g kg−1), biological efficiency (236.32%), production rate (225.96 kg day−1), and the shortest pinhead formation stage (10 days) were observed in sugar beet pulp mixed with rice bran. The shortest time for primary fruit body phase (3.66 days) and complete fruit body phase (4.5 days) were observed in wheat straw combined with soybean powder as well as barley straw mixed with some supplements, respectively. Different substrate compositions had significant effects on the growth period, yield, production rate, and biological efficiency of Pleurotus eryngii widely used for nutritional and medicinal purposes.