Vol. 7, Issue 8, Part B (2025)

The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and sustainability of different locally available substrates for the cultivation of Golden oyster mushroom (Pleurotus citrinopileatus). Growth, yield parameters, and biological efficiency were assessed on substrates including paddy straw, wheat straw, soybean straw, sugarcane bagasse, bajra straw, jowar straw, rajmah straw, and spent button mushroom substrate. Spawn run duration ranged from 19.58 to 22.99 days, with T₂ (wheat straw) recording the shortest (19.58 days) and T₄ (sugarcane bagasse) the longest (22.99 days). No mycelial growth was observed in T₈ (spent button mushroom substrate). Pinhead formation was earliest in T₅ (bajra straw) at 23.13 days and took longest time in T₄ at 26.52 days. Time from pinhead to first harvest ranged between 5.33 and 8.24 days, being shortest in T₂ and longest in T₇ (rajmah straw). The second harvest occurred between 16.63 and 20.95 days, with T₂ being the shortest and T₇ the longest. For the third harvest, T₂ again recorded the shortest time (26.85 days), and T₇ the longest (31.67 days). The average fruiting duration from incubation ranged from 28.93 days in T₅ to 37.01 days in T₇. Yield per kg dry substrate varied from 621.03 to 932.17 g, with the highest in T₂ (932.17 g/kg), followed by T₅ (837.46 g/kg), T₁ (829.45 g/kg), and T₃ (747.11 g/kg), while T₄ recorded the lowest yield (621.03 g/kg). Among the evaluated substrates, wheat straw proved to be the most effective for Golden oyster mushroom cultivation, owing to its favorable influence on growth, yield, and biological efficiency.