Comparison of growth and enzymatic activity of mycelium and yielding of Pleurotus ostreatus (Fr.) Kumm. on different substrates.

Cereal straw is used as the most common substrate for Pleurotus ostreatus (Fr.) Kumm. cultivation. However other easily available and cheep materials are being sought. Textile industry wastes, among others, seem to be suitable materials. The effect of the kind of substrate on the mycelium growth, enzymatic activity and yield of Pleurotus ostreatus (Fr.) Kumm. was investigated. The subjects of the studies were the 'K22' and 'P80' strains of P. ostreatus and four substrates: i.e. alder sawdust, rye straw, hemp and flax shive. The type of substrate was found to affect the examined P. ostreatus parame- ters. The examined strains responded similarly to the applied substrate type. The best my- celium growth was obtained on the substrate from flax shive. The activity of the laccase enzyme turned out to be the highest on the hemp shive and the same substrate also yielded the highest crop of carpophores. The obtained results corroborated high usefulness of hemp and flax shive for the cultivation of P. ostreatus.