Mycobiota and some physical and organic composition of agricultural wastes used in the cultivation of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea

Abstract

The physical, organic and fungal phenology of five unamended agricultural lignocellulose wastes namely: banana leaves, cocoa shells, maize stover, oil palm pericarp and rice straw, used to cultivate a local isolate of Volvariella volvacea (Bull. ex Fr.) Sing. were studied. The major components studied were cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, crude fibre, ash, organic matter and protein. There were considerable variations in the organic and physical compositions of these wastes. Maize stover and rice straw recorded the highest value for cellulose (38.42-39.04%), hemicellulose (25.27-28.57%) and the lowest for lignin (6.15-6.73%). The pH of the composts varied between pH 5.37-8.28 which was within the optimum pH for best growth of V. volvacea. Phenology of the resident fungi of the five wastes also varied considerably. However, after 30 days of inoculation of the substrates, fungal species such as Aspergillus fumigatus, A. niger, Coprinus cinereus, Mycogyne sp. and Trichoderma viride persisted in the composts and presumably collectively contributed to the non-fruiting of V. volvacea on cocoa shells, maize stover, rice straw and oil palm pericarp wastes. The biological efficiency (BE) of V. volvacea on dry banana leaves waste which permitted fructification was 43.0%. The practical implications of these findings are discussed and further work is suggested