Preparation of Mother Cultures and Evaluation of Alternative Culture Media for Spawn Production in Oyster Mushrooms
S. H. V. Madhushani
Agriculture Research Station, Kirimetimulla, Thelijjawila, Matara, Sri Lanka.
H. K. A. Karunathilaka
Agriculture Research Station, Kirimetimulla, Thelijjawila, Matara, Sri Lanka.
Y. A. S. Samithri
Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matara Regional Centre, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nupe, Matara, Sri Lanka.
P. W. H. K. P. Daulagala *
Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Kandy Regional Centre, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Polgolla, Sri Lanka.
E. H. Nanayakkara
School of Mathematics and Statistics, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Mushrooms are a vital source of proteins, vitamins, and bioactive compounds, making them essential in the human diet. Pleurotus species, known as oyster mushrooms, are popular for their taste and flavor. Among Pleurotus spp., American oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) and Abalone (Pleurotus cystidiosus) mushrooms are particularly significant due to their economic and nutritional value. While Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) is a traditional spawning medium for oyster mushrooms, its cost and scarcity encourage the exploration of alternatives. This in-vitro study investigated the potential of cassava/ Manioc Dextrose Agar (MDA) and Sweet Potato Dextrose Agar (SPDA) as cost-effective and locally available alternative media for PDA in the preparation of mother cultures and spawn. Mycelial growth was evaluated daily by measuring fungal colony diameters over 17 days. One-way ANOVA and Tukey’s Honest Significant Difference (HSD) tests were used to analyze significant differences in growth performance. Results for American oyster mushrooms indicated no significant effect of the medium on growth rate (p = 0.0677). However, PDA and MDA supported faster growth compared to SPDA. In contrast, Abalone mushrooms had a significant effect (p = 0.00154), with PDA enabling the fastest growth, closely followed by MDA. For both species, SPDA consistently resulted in slower growth. In conclusion, PDA remains the most effective medium for both mushroom species, while MDA offers a viable, cost-effective alternative with comparable growth rates. SPDA, while feasible, requires longer incubation periods, particularly for Abalone mushrooms. These findings contribute to developing more sustainable and cost-efficient production of mother cultures, especially in regions with limited availability of potatoes. Further research is required to optimize the formulation of SPDA and to explore other locally available substrates that may enhance mycelial growth and support sustainable mushroom cultivation systems.
Keywords: Alternative media, manioc dextrose agar, pleurotus species, spawn growth, sweet potato dextrose agar.