Abstract

Oyster mushroom is a popular mushroom due to its nutritional, medicinal and potential commercial value. In Malaysia, the fungus is currently cultivated on sawdust and rice husk. In this study, the efficiency of cultivating oyster mushroom was assessed using palm oil mesocarp fibre as a substrate. The experiment consisted of four samples; sample A (composed of 100% mesocarp fibre), sample B (composed of 88% fiber,10% rice bran and 2% lime), sample C (composed of 85% fiber,10% rice bran and 5% lime), and sample D (composed of 50% fibre, 10% rice bran, 38% sawdust and 2% lime). Different spawn running time was determined and fruiting bodies were also observed. Results indicate that samples B, C, and D fruiting bodies were higher and better than that in sample A, thus establishing that palm oil fibre served as a good substrate for the cultivation of Pleurotus spp. A further study on the protein composition of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp.) is however suggested.

Key words: Pleurotus, mycelium, mushroom, spawn, cultivation, mesocarp fibre.