Evaluation of yield performance and proximate composition of Pleurotus Tuber-Regium (Ero usu) grown on different substrates

Abstract

Pleurotus tuber-regium is a tropical mushroom of significant economic, cultural, and culinary importance in West Africa. Its ability to grow on a wide range of substrates may contribute to variations in yield and nutritional composition. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the yield performance and proximate composition of P. tuber-regium cultivated on different substrates. The substrates used were oil palm fiber (OPF), plantain leaves (PL), cassava tuber peels (CTP), and cocoa pod (CP). Substrate preparation, yield determination, and proximate analysis were conducted using standard procedures. The results showed that the highest yield was obtained from the CP substrate, whereas the lowest yields were recorded for OPF and PL. The highest moisture, ash, and fat contents were recorded in mushrooms cultivated on OPF, PL, and CP, respectively. The carbohydrate contents of P. tuber-regium cultivated on OPF, PL, CTP, and CP did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). Overall, the findings indicate that cocoa pod was the most suitable substrate, producing the highest mushroom yield and a favourable nutritional profile.