EFFECT OF SPAWN AGE ON YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTES OF DIFFERENT OYSTER MUSHROOM SPECIES

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at Mushroom Development Institute, Savar, Dhaka during the period from January to June in 2014 with a view to determine the effect of spawn age on yield and yield attributes of different oyster mushroom species. The experiment was laid out following completely randomized design with two factors, they were ; Factor A : Four varieties of mushroom i.e.V 1 (Pleurotus djamor), V 2 (Pleurotus ostreatus var. white snow), V 3 (Pleurotus ostreatus), V 4 (Pleurotus salmoneostramineus)and Factor B : seven types of age of spawn T 1 (1 day old), T 2 (5 days old) , T 3 (10 days old) , T 4 (15 days old) , T 5 (20 days old) , (25 days old) , T 7 (30 days old). Except days required for complete mycelium running all parameters were significantly influenced by the age of spawn. All varieties were given the maximum yield at 1 day age of spawn and the minimum yield at 30 days age of spawn. Maximum yield 135.3g/500g packet, 111.5 g/500g packet, 126.5 g/500g packet and 137.0 g/500g packet at one day old of spawn were found from V 1 , V 2 , V 3 and V 4 respectively and the lowest yield 41.00 g/500g packet was recorded in V 1 T 7. The highest biological efficiency was recorded in V 4 (68.63%) and the lowest in V 1 T 7 (20.50%).So the variety Pleurotus salmoneostramineus with one day old spawn was the suitable combination for mushroom production.