Optimizing Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus djamor) Yield, Effects of Spawn Rates on Cotton and Rice Cellulose Waste Substrates

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of varying spawn rates on the growth performance and yield of Pleurotus djamor (pink oyster mushroom) cultivated on cotton waste and rice cellulose waste substrates. Spawn rates of 15, 25, 35, 45, and 55 g per 500 g dry substrate were evaluated under a completely randomized design with four replications. Growth parameters, including time to pinhead formation, fruiting body maturation, number of flushes, bunches, and fruiting bodies per bunch, were recorded, while yield parameters such as fresh and dry yield, total soluble solids, protein content, and biological efficiency were assessed post-harvest. Results revealed that increasing spawn rate significantly enhanced growth and yield attributes. The 55 g spawn rate on cotton waste substrate achieved the best performance, producing the earliest pinhead formation (33 days), fastest fruiting body maturation (5.01 days), and the highest fresh yield (41.62%). However, maximum biological efficiency (56.63%) was obtained at the 25 g spawn rate. Overall, cotton waste proved to be a superior substrate compared to rice cellulose, supporting faster growth and higher yield. These findings highlight that optimizing spawn rate and substrate selection can significantly improve Pleurotus djamor production efficiency, providing a sustainable strategy for recycling agro-wastes into valuable edible biomass.