Cultivation of Pleurotus pulmonarius on substrates treated by immersion in alkaline water in Guerrero, Mexico

Pleurotus pulmonarius was cultivated on dry banana leaves (Musa paradisiaca) or dry "palmareca" leaves (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens), using two substrate treatments. Substrates were immersed in water containing 2% lime for 24 h and used for mushroom cultivation, in comparison with the method of immersing substrates in hot water at ±80 C for 1 h. The highest mushroom production was obtained on banana leaves immersed in alkaline water, reaching 120.1% of biological efficiency in a period of 61 days. Biological efficiency in the other treatments varied between 41.4-81.2%. Substrates and treatments studied are suitable for low-cost and small-scale production of oyster mushrooms.