Growth Performance, Yield Parameters, and Biological Efficiency of Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) Cultivated on Wood Sawdust Substrates of Gmelina arborea (Timber) and Garcinia kola (Bitter Kola) at Awka, Nigeria

Abstract

 Cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus on locally available lignocellulosic substrates represents a sustainable approach to food production and organic waste valorization. Consequently, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the growth performance, yield parameters, and biological efficiency of Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) cultivated on wood sawdust substrates of Gmelina arborea (timber) and Garcinia kola (bitter kola) supplemented with municipal organic wastes, compared with rice bran as a conventional supplement at Awka, Nigeria using appropriate standard methods. Results showed that all substrates were suitable for cultivation, with TOC ranging from 40.15±0.21 to 49.21±1.10% and moisture content from 6.50±2.50 to 10.01±3.77 %. The combination of Gmelina arborea sawdust and rice bran produced the best performance, recording the shortest spawn running time (14.5 ± 0.8 days), highest number of fruiting bodies (6), greatest fresh weight (98 ± 12 g), and highest BE (89.09 %), significantly outperforming other treatments (p < 0.05). In contrast, the lowest BE (43.09 %) was observed in Garcinia kola sawdust supplemented with open-dump waste. Gmelina arborea supplemented with decomposed waste achieved a high BE (84.3 %), comparable to the control. This study shows that properly processed municipal organic waste, particularly decomposed landfill waste, can effectively substitute conventional supplements, promote cost-effective mushroom production and support circular economy and food security initiatives.