STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF OIL PALM FIBRE AND WHEAT BRAN ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF Pleurotus pulmonarius Quel. CULTIVATED ON (Hevea brazillensis) SAWDUST

ABSTRACT
The effect of oil palm fibre (OPF) and wheat bran (WB) supplements on the growth and yield of Pleurotus pulmonarius cultivated on Hevea brazillensis sawdust was investigated. The supplementation was done at five different levels 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% with five (5) replicates for each level. Results indicates that the supplements affected the rate of mycelia growth differently. 0% supplementation level was the fastest to attain 50% mycelia colonization at an average time of (12.40±0.87) days followed by 5% OPF at (13.80±1.02) days, while 20% OPF:WB was the slowest at (23.00±2.00). Not all supplementation levels were colonized. All five replicates of 20% OPF were not colonized. 15% WB was the slowest to attain 100% mycelia colonization. 0% took the shortest time for primordial emergence and sporophore (fruit body) formation (46 and 49) days this was followed by 5% OPF at (49 and 51) days, the slowest was 10% OPF at (60 and 62) days respectively. 0% gave the highest sporophore yield (84.73) g followed by 5% OPF (56.25) g, while 10% WB gave the least yield (14.50) g. The highest number of fruit bodies formed was recorded for 10% WB (64) followed by 10% OPF (53) while 10% WB (15) was the lowest. Biological efficiency was however very low for the various treatment; 0% OPF was the highest (23.54) % followed by 5% OPF (15.63) %, 10% WB (4.03) % was the lowest. Sawdust supplemented with wheat bran and oil palm fibre supported the growth and sporophore formation of P. pulmonarius. Time of mycelial colonization increased as the level of supplementation increases. 5% OPF treated level significantly supported cultivation of P. pulmonarius when compared to other treatments.