Published Paper Details:

Mushroom cultivation presents considerable nutritional, ecological, and economic advantages, especially in developing countries. However, poor management of agricultural waste raises significant environmental concerns and threatens food security. This study aimed to explore the optimal substrate selection for cultivating Pleurotus spp. The experimental design utilized a completely randomized design (CRD) methodology, incorporating three replicates for each substrate and mushroom species combination. The data collected underwent a thorough descriptive statistical analysis, emphasizing yield comparison and colonization efficiency. The highest yield was observed with rice straw (760 g/kg) for P. ostreatus, followed by wheat straw (780 g) for P. florida and soybean straw (600 g) for P. djamor. This species exhibited clear substrate preferences, with soybean straw consistently identified as one of the most effective options, yielding high outputs and biological efficiency (BE) across various studies. These findings underscore the critical role of substrate selection in optimizing the cultivation of Pleurotus mushrooms