Comparative study on oyster mushroom grown on composited substrate: The effect on yield, growing period and fruiting body size

Cultivation of the oyster mushroom on horse manure and wheat straw compost without nutrient supplementation was investigated. The growing, yield and fruiting body size effects on open trays and substrate bags were determined. Incubation and fruiting period on trays and inoculated bags were compared. The bagged compost yielded higher mushroom growth rate and yield than the tray compost. The fruiting bodies of the mushroom on trays were smaller, pile and thinner as compared to the mushrooms on the bags, which were bigger, fresh and strong. However, it was found that when oyster mushroom are grown on trays, the yield decrease, there is less moisture in the tray and substrate is exposed to heat, the pin head dries as they develop and those that succeed to grown further will grow as thin with a little head due to lack of oxygen. Comparing compost in bags with compost substrate in trays, bags yielded about 20% more mushrooms than trays under the same cultivation conditions. Conversely, the incubation period of compost in bags took longer, as compared to the incubation of compost in trays. Trays gave their first flash 10% earlier than the bags.