EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF COW DUNG WITH SAWDUST ON YIELD AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF OYSTER MUSHROOM (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Abstract

The present study was carried out at the Biochemistry laboratory and Mushroom Culture House (MCH) of Department of Biochemistry, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during the month of February to July’09 to determine the effect of different levels of cow dung as supplement with sawdust on the performance of oyster mushroom. All the treatments perform better over control. Mycelium running rate in spawn packet and highest average number of primordia/packet was found to be differed due to different levels of supplements used. The highest average weight of individual fruiting body was observed in sawdust supplemented with cow dung @ 10% (3.69 g). The supplementation of sawdust with cow dung had great effect on biological yield, economic yield and Dry yield, biological efficiency, cost benefit ratio. The highest biological yield (254.7 g), economic yield (243.3 g) and Dry yield (23.40 g) biological efficiency (87.82%), cost benefit ratio (8.29) was counted under sawdust supplemented with cow dung @ 10%. Among the chemical characteristics highest content of protein, ash, crud fiber (24.07) was found in treatment T 4 , on the other hand lowest lipid (3.90 %) and carbohydrate (32.57) percentage was counted under treatment T . Among the minerals highest amount of nitrogen (4.85), potassium (1.39), calcium (22.08), magnesium (20.21), sulfur (0.042), iron (43.11) and lowest phosphorus (0.92) was counted under sawdust supplemented with cow dung @ 10%. There fore it can be concluded that cow dung @ 10% with saw dust may be an alternative supplement to produce oyster mushroom for better cost benefit management.