Agriculture and Food Sciences Research

The study evaluated the nutrient compositions of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacaum, ex. Fr. Kummer) grown using different agricultural waste: sawdust, sugarcane (Sacharum officinarum) peels, plantain leaves and corn cobs. The proximate compositions of P. ostreatus fruit bodies varied significantly (P≤ 0.05). Matured fruit bodies of P. ostreatus harvested from sawdust and sugarcane peel substrates had significantly (P≤ 0.05) the highest content of moisture (15.20%) and ash (5.23%) respectively. The Corn cob substrates yielded P. ostreatus with significantly (P≤ 0.05) the highest amount of protein (9.38%) and lipids (8.5%); and lowest amount of carbohydrates (51.76%). Crude fibre was found more in the fruit bodies of P. ostreatus harvested from sugarcane peel substrates (8.23%) followed by corn cobs (7.28% ). The mineral content varied significantly (P≤ 0.05) from 0.43 - 0.90, 0.12 - 0.30, 9.20 - 14.6, 7.30 -13.0 and 1.5 - 2.7 mg/100g for iron, sodium, potassium, phosphorus and calcium respectively. P. ostreatus from sugarcane peels had significantly (P≤ 0.05) the highest mineral content except for calcium. Vitamin C content ranged from 1.3 mg/100g for corn hob to 1.8mg/100g for sawdust. The study revealed that sugarcane peel and corn hob in terms of the proximate and mineral composition are better substrate for the growth of P. ostreatus. It is therefore recommended that these agricultural wastes should be used in the cultivation of P. ostreatus. Besides producing nutritious mushrooms, this will help to reduce the huge agricultural wastes within our environment that sometimes when not properly managed caused serious environmental pollution.