Search for new naturally occurring strains of Pleurotus to improve yields. P. albidus as a novel proposed species for mushroom production

LECHNER B. E.; ALBERTÓ E.

REVISTA IBEROAMERICANA DE MICOLOGIA

ASOCIACION ESPANOLA MICOLOGIA-AEM

Año: 2011 vol. 28 p. 148 - 154

1130-1406

Background: The species of genus Pleurotus are worldwide cultivated.Aims: To evaluate growth, yield production andmorphological variations of fruiting bodies obtained from the cultivation of fourteen naturally occurring Pleurotus strains isolated from Argentina.Methods: The strains growthwas tested at different temperatures onNobles’medium. Substrates assayed were: supplemented Salix sawdust, supplemented and non supplemented wheat straw. The species studied were Pleurotus albidus, Pleurotus cystidiosus, Pleurotus djamor, Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus pulmonarius.Results: Themaximumrate growthwas reached by strains of P. pulmonarius, P. albidus, and P. ostreatus.No relationshipwas foundwhen optimalmyceliumgrowth, incubation time and yieldswere compared. The highest yield was obtained with P. albidus on wheat straw (biological efficiency 171.3%) which overcame in 82% the yield obtained for the commercial strain in the same substrate.Whenmorphological variations were analyzed for each species, significant differences were found among strains. It was also possible to find a naturally occurring strain of P. ostreatuswith better biological efficiency than the commercial strain assayed.Conclusions: We propose the study of naturally occurring strains as a useful practice to improve yields of species of Pleurotus. Due to the high biological efficiency obtained we  propose P. albidus as a new species for commercial production.