Browsing by Author "Busobozi, Paul"

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    Effect of supplementing cotton husk with eggshell powder and black soldier fly frass on the performance of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus).
    (Busitema University, 2026) Busobozi, Paul
    Oyster mushroom production provides an opportunity to convert agricultural wastes into nutritious food and income for smallholder farmers. This study evaluated the effect of supplementing cotton husk substrate with eggshell powder and black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) frass on the growth and yield of Pleurotus ostreatus. Oyster mushroom was grown on four substrate treatments cotton husk alone (CH), cotton husk + 5% eggshell powder (CHE), cotton husk + 5% BSFL frass (CHF), and cotton husk + 5% eggshell powder + 5% BSFL frass (CHEF) using a Completely Randomized Design with four treatments and ten replicates. Each experimental unit contained 1.5 kg of substrate and was inoculated with 5% grain spawn (75 g per experimental unit). Data were collected over three harvests on time-based parameters (days to pinning and days to harvest), growth-related characteristics (cap diameter, stipe length and stipe diameter), and yield-related characteristics (number of fruiting bodies, fresh weight, dry weight and biological efficiency). Data were analysed using analysis of variance, Tukey’s HSD test, Poisson generalized linear modelling for count data, and Pearson correlation analysis at the 5% significance level. Supplementation significantly affected days to pinning and days to harvest during the later harvests and significantly influenced cap diameter, stipe length, stipe diameter, number of fruiting bodies, fresh weight, dry weight and biological efficiency. CHEF produced the largest overall cap diameter (11.08 cm), longest stipe length (7.55 cm), greatest fresh weight (0.825 kg/experimental unit), dry weight (0.71 kg), and highest biological efficiency (144.96%). CHF produced the highest overall number of fruiting bodies (1,409), compared with 1,061 under CHEF and 502 under the control. Cotton husk alone recorded the lowest overall fresh weight (2.53 kg), dry weight (0.22 kg), and biological efficiency (40.00%). Correlation analysis showed strong positive associations between cap diameter and fresh weight (r = 0.805), dry weight (r = 0.807), and biological efficiency (r = 0.808), while fresh weight, dry weight and BE were almost perfectly correlated. The study concludes that combining eggshell powder and BSFL frass provides the most effective supplementation strategy for improving the productivity and biological efficiency of cotton-husk-based cultivation of P. ostreatus. Key words: Oyster mushroom, substrate, eggshell powder, BSFL frass, Biological Efficiency.