Effect of different lignocellulosic wastes on Hericium americanum yield and nutritional characteristics

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of using cottonseed hulls ( CSH ) and olive press cake ( OPC ) as new supplement materials for substrate preparation in Hericium americanum cultivation. Some chemical properties of the substrates prepared by mixtures of oak sawdust ( OS ) with wheat bran ( WB ), CSH and OPC in different ratios were determined. In addition, the effect of mixtures of OS : CSH and OS : OPC on spawn run time, yield and biological efficiency ( BE ), average mushroom weight and nutrition content of the fruiting body were compared with the control substrate ( 8OS : 2WB ). RESULTS The yield, BE and average mushroom weight of substrates containing CSH and OPC were higher than the control substrate and increased with an increase in the rate of CSH and OPC in the mixtures. Hericium americanum showed (on a dry weight basis) 8.5–23.7% protein, 9.9–21.2 g kg −1 P, 26.6–35.8 g kg −1 K, 0.63 − 1.33 g kg −1 Mg, 0.19 − 0.23 g kg −1 Ca, 1.34–1.78 g kg −1 Na, 49.5–72.2 mg kg −1 Fe, 6.22–10.11 mg kg −1 Mn, 32.8–82.8 mg kg −1 Zn and 8.6–11.2 mg kg −1 Cu on different growing substrates. The nutritional value of mushrooms was greatly affected by the growing media. CONCLUSION The results revealed that CSH and OPC could be used as new supplement materials for substrate preparation in H. americanum cultivation.