Abstract
A local strain of Volvariella volvacea Vv pk, locally known as Chinese mushroom was cultivated on six different agricultural wastes including paddy straw, cotton waste, banana leaves, corn stovers, sugarcane baggasse and pulses straw. The study was conducted to know that how much a substrate contributes in the nutritional value of the fruiting bodies of the mushroom harvested from such substrate and to recommend the best substrate for the commercial cultivation of the mushroom with high levels of protein, crude fibre and certain other elements. The biochemical analysis of the fruiting bodies harvested from the substrates was done to estimate the moisture percentage, crude fat, protein, fiber, and ash contents. Maximum protein (34.17%), ash (10.8) and crude fiber percentage (11.9%) was observed in the fruiting bodies harvested from cotton waste. So, cotton waste is recommended as an effective substrate to grow Chinese mushroom on commercial scale.