Domestication of an indigenous Ghanaian edible mushroom-Pleurotus sajor-caju: variations in the proximate and mineral contents of the wild and cultivated species

Abstract

Growth parameters of mycelia and morphology of an indigenous Pleurotus sajor-caju strain (PscW) originally collected at the Wli Agumatsa Forest in Ghana was compared on four substrate agar media. These substrate media, elephant grass, rice straw, thatch and sawdust (Triplochiton scleroxylon and Chlorophora excela) were used as the basal media, and this was followed by fructification on sawdust. In addition, proximate analysis and ten mineral contents of the wild species were studied. Solid agar media made from three of the substrates rice straw, thatch and sawdust supported faster mycelial growth rate relatively equally (0.77, 0.75, 0.73 cm/day, respectively), as compared to the elephant grass based agar (0.64 cm/day). The density of the white coloured longitudinally linear mycelia was highest on elephant grass, followed by thatch and sawdust. When fruited on sawdust, it was observed that the interval between flushes did not influence the number and weights of fruit bodies obtained in successive flushes and that the highest yield in terms of both the number and weight of fruit bodies were obtained in the first flush (47 and 46 % respectively) with reduction in consequent flushes. Of the essential macro elements analysed the mushroom samples were rich in phosphorus, potassium and sodium with the trend in decreasing order being K<P<Na. Of the micro elements analyzed iron was the most dominant. P. sajor-caju is another species of oyster mushroom that can be cultivated in Ghana to contribute to diversity of cultivated mushrooms in Ghana for consumption and for biodiversity conservation in our forests