[01] Femi Johnson Afolabi, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Bioresources Development Centre, Ogbomoso, Nigeria. [02] Felix Akinsola Akinyosoye, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. [03] Daniel Juwon Arotupin, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.

This study was conducted not just to cultivate Pleurotus tuber-regium to produce sclerotium but also to know the conditions that enhance the production of sclerotium instead of fruit bodies. Supplemented Sawdusts of White Afra (Terminalia superba), Teak tree (Tectona grandis) and Gmalina arborea were used as substrates. Some portions were incubated at room temperature (25±2°C) and others at 36±2°C. There was faster colonisation of the substrates with Afra sawdust compared to other substrates. Afra sawdust also produced sclerotium 17 days earlier than the other substrates. The first harvesting was done 90 days from the day of inoculation of substrates and the second followed the same pattern too. The third and last harvest was done after eleven months. At first harvest, Afra substrates gave the highest average yield of 140 g/bag and the highest bio-efficiency of 20.05%. Gmelina has the least average yield of 103 g/bag. Gmalina had the best yield of 100 g/bag at second harvest with an average bio-efficiency of 31.5% while teak has the lowest average yield of 80 g/bag and bioefficiency of 19.61%. At third harvest, Afra gave the best yield of 155 g/bag but Gmelina gave the best bioefficiency of 42.45% while teak gave the poorest yield of 30 g/bag and a bioefficiency of 18.28%. The average overall yield of the substrates showed that Afra gave the best average yield of 120 g/bag and a bioefficiency of 27.95% while teak came a distant third with an average yield of 65 g/bag and a bioefficiency of 18.51%. Statistical analysis also showed that substrates incubated at high temperature gave better yields than those incubated at room temperature as follows Afra HT 130 g/bag, Afra RT 110 g/bag; Gmelina HT 130 g/bag, Gmelina RT 60 g/bag; Teak HT 70, Teak RT 60 g/bag.

Pleurotus tuber-regium, Sclerotium, Yield, Bio-efficiency, Substrates

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