Oyster mushroom is one of the species of edible mushrooms cultivated worldwide. The reason for the great interest in oyster mushrooms beside their taste and nutritional appeal is that there are several species that can grow at relatively high temperature. Like any other mushrooms, the pleurotus can be grown in various ways using different agricultural waste materials as substrates.
Majority of mushroom growers in the Philippines and other countries in Asia grow oyster mushroom using sterilized composted sawdust mixtures, packed in heat resistant plastic bags. Longer sterilization by steaming (2-8 hours) is also required with this type of growing method. Thus, cultivation of this species can be afforded only by those who have enough capital to invest and those with access to sawdust.
To fully appreciate the potential of growing oyster mushrooms, cultivation method must be made simple, cheaper, and profitable at the farmer’s level.
An alternative method of growing oyster mushroom has been developed in Camarines Sur State Agricultural College using non-composted corn cobs, corn stalks, mungbean straws and hulls, peanut straw and hulls, rice hull and sugarcane wastes. These agricultural wastes are abundant in Bicol Region and if utilized in mushroom growing may provide additional income to family and livelihood in the countryside.
This alternative method of growing oyster mushroom does not require big capital to start with. It only needs a big casserole or drum to pasteurize the substrates directly by immersion in hot water in less than one hour, ordinary plastic bags to pack the pasteurized substrates, and small growing room. Direct pasteurization of substrates reduce cost on energy and non-composting of substrates reduce labor cost.
Based on the researches conducted by the author on growing oyster mushroom on corn cobs, 90%-200% return on investment could be realized in just a short period of time. Harvesting of mushroom may start one month after planting.
Oyster mushroom also shows very high biological efficiency of 48%-76%. Biological efficiency measures the capacity of mushroom to convert waste material into highly valuable food.
It determines the yield of mushroom that can be expected from certain amount of substrate. A two kilogram wet weight of corn cobs could produce 1-1.5 kilogram of fresh mushrooms.
