Evaluation of High Yielding Strains of Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus spp.)

Five strains of oyster mushroom were tested for various parameters such as spawn run days, pin head initiation days, days taken for first harvest, fruit body/bag, and average weight of fruit body, yield and biological efficiency. Results indicate that highest biological efficiency was recorded in strain R-13-13-05 (96.6 %) followed by strain R-13-13-07 (75.3 %), R-13-13-03 (74.8 %) and R-51 (66.4 %), respectively, and Lowest BR was observed in strain R-13-13-04 (58.4 %) among all the tested strains. Days required for spawn was minimum in strain R-13-13-05 (only 17 days) followed by R-13-13-04 (only 17.67 days), strains R-13-13-07, R-51 (only 18.67 days) and strain R-13-13-03 (only 19.83 days), respectively. Maximum required days, for spawn run, were recorded in strain R-13-13-3 (total 20.33 days). Pin head initiation was first reported in strain R-13-13-5 (within 20.67 days) followed by strain R-51 (within 23.50 days), strains R-13-13-04 (within 24.17 days) and strain R-13-13-03 (within 24.67 days), respectively. Maximum days, required for pin head initiation, were in strain R-13-13-07 (within 25.0 days). First harvesting was done in strain R-13-13-05 (after 25.33 days of spawning) followed by strains R-13-13-03, R-13-13-07, R-51 and R-13-13-04 (after 27.33, 27.33, 27.50, 29.50 days of spawning, respectively). Among all the strains, tested in the experiment, strain R-13-13-07 recorded highest fruit body weight (per fruit body 26.55 g) followed by R-13-13-04 (25.50 g), strains R-13-13-05, (19.86g ) and R-51 (17.33 g ), respectively. Lowest weight, per fruit body, was recorded in strain R-13-13-03 (14.52 g). Strain R-13-13-03 yielded maximum fruit body (61.33 fruits/bag) followed by R-51 (60.33 fruit body/bag), strain R-13-13-04 (51.50 fruit body/ bag) and R-13-13-05 (51.33 fruit body/bag), respectively. Minimum fruit body was yielded in strain R-13-13-07 (31.0 fruit body/bag).