Evaluation of the efficacy of crop residues as substrates for the cultivation of
oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eous, Pleurotus platypus)

Abstract :

A study was conducted under green house nursery condition of the efficacy of seven indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the improvement of growth, biomass, nutrition and phytochemical constituents, namely total phenols, Ortho di-hydroxy phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins and saponins in the leaves of Sphaeranthes amaranthoides (L.) Burm. Seedlings were raised in polythene bags containing soil inoculated with isolates of seven diffeent indigenous AMF viz., Acaulospora marrowae, Archaeospora trappei, Gigaspora margarita, Glomus aggregatum, G. pakistanika, G. walkeri and Scutellospora heterogama. S. amaranthoides seedlings raised in the presence of AM fungi generally showed an increase in plant growth, nutritional status, and phytochemical constituents over those grown in the absence of AM fungi. The extent of growth, biomass, nutritional status and phytochemicals constituents enhanced by AM fungi varied with the species of AM fungi inhabiting the leaves of A. amaranthoides seedlings. Considering the various plant growth parameters, nutritional status of the plant, total phenols, ortho di-hydroxy phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and saponins in the leaves, it was observed that Glomus walkeri is a the best AM symbiont for S. amaranthoides used in this experiment.