Effect of Substrates on Growth and Nutritional Composition of Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Mushrooms have been utilized as food and supplements since the dawn of mankind. They're becoming more well recognized as one of the most important food components because to their important functions in human health, nutrition, and disease. If waste isn't managed, it can cause environmental concerns, but it can be beneficial if it's used as a growing media supplement for oyster mushroom production. The goal of this research is to look into and evaluate the impact of sawdust, rice straw, and paper, as well as their mixtures, on the yield and nutritional composition of Pleurotus ostreatus mushrooms.The results revealed that different substrates formulas gave a significant difference in total colonization period, characteristics of fruiting bodies, yield, biological efficiency (BE), nutritional composition of Pleurotus ostreatus (os) mushroom. The highest length and diameter of stock, highest diameter and thickness of pileus was observed in the treartment SD+RS+PAPER(3.32,1.24,7.32,0.88cm) and the lowest was observed in paper (2.1,0.89,5.73,0.71 cm). The highest time from inoculation to primordia initiation was observed in paper (47 days) and the lowest time from inoculation to primordia initiation was in the treatment rice straw (26 days). The highest average number of fruiting body/packet was observed in the treatment saw dust + rice straw + paper (23.00) and the lowest average number of fruiting body /packet was in the treatment paper(15.00).The highest biological yield was counted under treatment SD+RS+PAPER(253.41g) and the lowest biological yield was counted under paper (177.5g). The content of protein varied from 12.88-9.03% (w/w). The lowest lipid percentage was counted under treatment saw dust + rice straw(3.38%) and the highest lipid percentage was counted under saw dust (7.71 %). The highest percentage of crude fiber was counted under treatment SD+RS+PAPER (10.48%) and the lowest crude fiber percentage was counted under RS+SD (7.01%). The lowest percentage of carbohydrate was counted under treatment SD (51.82%) and the highest carbohydrate percentage was counted under SD+RS (56.63%). The lowest percentage of moisture was counted under treatment SD+RS (8.86%) and the highest moisture percentage was counted under RS (11.2%). The highest percentage of ash was counted under treatment SD+RS (13.5%) and the lowest ash percentage was counted under RS (9.1%).Therefore, it can be concluded that sawdust+rice straw+paper can be utilized as a better substrate for the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus oyster mushrooms, lowering costs while enhancing yield and nutritional quality. Keywords: Biological yield, economic yield, mushroom, mycology, nutrition, rice straw, saw dust.