ABSTRACT

Pleurotus species are popularly known as oyster mushroom which are regarded as one of the edible mushroom of commercial important throughout the whole world. Utilization of this depends on the ability to secrete cellulolytic and hemilocellulolytic enzymes which can make use of wide spectrum of Agro industrial wastes for the growth and frutification. In this study potato dextrose agar was the only growth medium used to prepared the mycelia of P. pulmonarius. Then the culture was transferred into a media (sorghum) for the preparation of spawn to archive the effect. The spawn from the sorghum was used. The efficiency in fruiting body production with the help of saw dust. The result showed that mycelia growth of mushroom increased with time. The mycelia of P. pulmonarius completely ramified by the 10^th day. The complete spawn running period of the grain spawn on the characteristic growth and yield of P. pulmonarius in sawdust was 19 days respectively. The period between the full ramification of the substrate and the appearance of pin head after the bags was opened were 9 days. The biological efficiency of P. pulmonarius on grain spawn 81.1%. It is therefore concluded that mushroom can be cultivated using the grain spawn (sorghum) for commercial cultivation of mushroom fruiting bodies by commercial farmers.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title Page                                                                                                                                i

Certification                                                                                                                            ii

Dedication                                                                                                                              iii

Acknowledgement                                                                                                                  iv

Abstract                                                                                                                                  v

Table of Content                                                                                                                     vi

List of tables                                                                                                                           viii      

List of figures                                                                                                                         ix

CHAPTER ONE:                            

1.1 Introduction                                                                                                                      1

1.2   Problem statement/Justification                                                                                        5

1.3   Aim of the study                                                                                                              6

1.4   Objectives of the study                                                                                                    6

CHAPTER TWO:               

2.0       Literature review                                                                                                         7

2.1       Mycelia growth                                                                                                          9

2.2       Economic importance of P. Pulmonarius                                                                    9

CHAPTER THREE:

3.0       Methods                                                                                                                      12

3.1       Collection of mushroom samples                                                                                12

3.2       Preparation of growth media                                                                                      12

3.3       Tissue culture of the mushroom                                                                                  12

3.4       Spawn preparation                                                                                                      13

3.5       Substrate preparation                                                                                                  15

CHAPTER FOUR:

4.0       Results                                                                                                                                    20

4.1       pH and moisture content of sorghum spawn                                                              21

4.2       Pin head formation                                                                                                     22

4.3       Sawdust                                                                                                                      22

CHAPTER FIVE: Discussion, conclusion and recommendation

5.0       Discussion                                                                                                                   28

5.1       Conclusion                                                                                                                 29

5.2       Recommendation                                                                                                        29

References                                                                                                                  30

            Appendix                                                                                                                    33