NUTRIENT COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT OF PLEUROTUS ERYNGII GROWN ON FIVE MONTHS OF COMPOSTING SUBSTRATES

Abstract

Studies on the evaluation of nutrient composition of pleurotus eryngii cultivated on five months composted substrate were carried out atDilomat Farms and Services Limited, Rivers State University. Sawdust and mangrove wood were both obtained from Timber market Mile II Diobu. mangrove woods were later burnt for ash collection. Healthy spawns of Pleurotus eryngii as well as rice bran were bought from Dilomat Farms and Services Limited, Rivers State University for the study. The above materials were all conveyed to the experimental site at Dilomat farms and allowed to compost for five months. The method of the Association of Official Analytical Chemist (AOAC) was adopted for nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of the cultivated mushroom. Nutrient assessment revealed the presence of proximate, mineral and vitamin constituents. Highest proximate composition value was recorded for moisture (52.2±0.74%) while ashrecorded lowest content (0.50±0.00%) Phosphorus recorded highest concentration (442.00±0.81mg/100g) for mineral investigation while iron gave the lowest value for mineral (4.00±0.00 mg/100) Thiamine was the only vitaminrecorded with 0.89±0.04 values. Antinutrient screening showed the availability of glycoside, oxalate, saponin, tanmin,polyphenol, flavonoid and lignant in mineral concentration. Although, highest (13.29±0.04mg/100g) and lowest (0.00±0.00 mg/100g) values were recorded for lignant and tanmin respectively. Generally, P. eryngii is endowed with valuable nutrient and antinutrient