Low-Cost Technology for Oyster Mushroom Production using Waste Lignocellulosic Materials, and their Functional Characteristics

Abstract

Cultivation of Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) on plastic and lignocellulosic wastes could be one of the most economically sustainable biological recycling progressions. In the current study, Pleurotus ostreatus was cultivated in composts prepared from 100 to 50% mixtures of different waste materials including plastic waste, newspaper waste, and wheat straw with varying concentrations in triplicates at an average temperature of 24-28°C and relative humidity ranging from 70 to 90%. Various morphological parameters including spawn running time (days), emergence of primordia, time period from primordial initiation to harvesting, number of fruiting bodies were recorded. The complete spawn running was in 18 days which was significantly earliest with substrate S2 (newspaper), followed by 21 days with substrate S3 (wheat straw) while, the longest period 28 days was taken in Substrate S1 (Plastic + wheat straw). Similarly, the highest yield obtained with substrate S2, while, the least with substrate S1 bags. However, mushrooms grown on substrate S1 were found to have highest alkaloid and phenolic contents, while terpenes content was highest in those obtained from substrate S3. The protein content of the three fruiting bodies was also estimated and the highest level observed in mushrooms obtained using S3. Higher antioxidant activity and fiber level observed in fruiting bodies grown on plastic substrate. The changes in the functional groups of Oyster mushroom were analysed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR). The results of FTIR spectroscopy revealed that hydroxyl group, Aliphatic organohalogen compound, and Olefinic compounds stretches were most common among the three fruiting bodies, while significant variations occurred in the wavelengths related to Aliphatic bromo compounds, Acetylenic Silicon-oxy compounds, Ether and oxy compound, Thiols and thio-substituted compounds and several others.