African Journal of
Plant Science

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Plant Sci.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0824
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJPS
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 807

Short Communication

King tuber mushroom: Bioconversion of fluted pumpkin, sawdust and paper

Precious C. Nwachukwu
  • Precious C. Nwachukwu
  • Department of Crop and Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Port-Harcourt, East-West Road, Choba, P.M.B. 5323, River State, Nigeria.
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Olutayo M. Adedokun*
  • Olutayo M. Adedokun*
  • Department of Crop and Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Port-Harcourt, East-West Road, Choba, P.M.B. 5323, River State, Nigeria.
  • Google Scholar


  •  Received: 08 November 2013
  •  Accepted: 27 March 2014
  •  Published: 31 March 2014

Abstract

Pleurotus tuber-regium (Rumph. Ex Fr.) Singer (King tuber mushroom) was cultivated on sawdust; mixture of sawdust and waste paper and mixture of Telfairia occidentalis Hook.F. (Fluted pumpkin) stem and waste paper in order to examine growth of the mushroom on the test substrates. The spawn of the mushroom was used to inoculate the substrates. Mycelia ramification and sclerotia production were monitored on the substrates during the research. The sclerotia produced were analyzed for protein and crude fiber content. Mycelia ramification for paper mixed with fluted pumpkin stem treatment was significantly different from sawdust and sawdust mixed with paper at P=0.05. Fluted pumpkin stem and waste paper could serve as substrates for cultivation of P. tuber-regium.

 

Key words: Fluted pumpkin stem, Pleurotus tuber-regium, sclerotia, waste paper