Effect of Different Proportions of Agrowaste on Cultivation Yield and Nutritional Composition of the Culinary-Medicinal Jelly Mushroom Auricularia polytricha (Higher Basidiomycetes)

Abstract

In this study, Auricularia polytricha was cultivated on a sawdust basal substrate supplemented with different proportions (30%, 45%, and 60%, respectively) of agrowastes-sugarcane bagasse (SB), rice straw (RS), and rice husk (RH)-to evaluate the alternative substrates. The mycelial growth rate, total colonization time, time to first primordia, biological efficiency, and chemical composition of the fruiting bodies were determined. Results indicated that the 60% SB substrate was the best substrate for mycelial growth of A. polytricha, with a corresponding total colonization period of 35.2 days, followed by the control (35.5 days) and 45% SB (36.2 days) substrates. The most suitable substrate with a high biological efficiency was 60% RS substrate (159.14%), followed by the 45% SB (128.45%), and 20% RH (124.47%) substrates. The nutrient values of fruiting bodies showed the largest amounts of ash, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and energy cultivated on 60% SB, 60% SB, 30% SB, 30% RH, and 30% RH/the control substrates, respectively. The results indicated that 60% RS was an appropriate substrate for A. polytricha cultivation.