Mineral content of the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus sajor-caju (FR.) Singer cultivated on different kinds of biomass

Pleurotus sajor-caju (FR.) SINGER was cultivated on different organic waste s, namely sericulture waste, Populus deltoides MARSH and Eupatorium adenoph orum SPRENG. Paddy straw was taken as the control and all the data were com pared with it. The mineral contents of the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus saj or-caju and the substrates on which the mushroom was grown were analyzed. A mong the eight minerals determined (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesi um, sodium, iron, manganese and zinc), the potassium content was highest fo llowed by phosphorus, magnesium and sodium. Analysis of the mineral content s of the substrates before cultivation had also been carried out. The miner al contents of the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus sajor-caju were found to be different on different substrates. It was also observed that the mineral c ontents of the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus sajor-caju increase when cultiv ated on substrates with higher mineral contents. The maximum mineral conten ts per 100 g of the substrates before cultivation were Ca - 347 mg; P - 151 mg; K - 1,805 mg; Na - 127 mg; Mg - 227 mg; Fe - 53 mg; Mn - 10 mg and Zn - 3.1 mg. The mineral contents of the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus sajor-ca ju per 100 g ranged as follows: Ca - 25.1 mg to 35.3 mg; P - 448 mg to 602 mg; K - 2,146 mg to 2350 mg; Na - 139 mg to 229 mg; Mg - 153 mg to 224 mg; Fe - 9.74 mg to 20.75 mg; Mn - 2.5 mg to 4.0 mg and Zn - 2.2 mg to 3.1 mg.