Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the fructification of Pleurotus ostreastus

The subterranean roots of most plants contain colonies of soil microorganisms named Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Scientific research indicates that AMF plants form a symbiotic connection with the substrate they grow in the substrates including soil. Water uptake becomes better through AMF while nutrients become more accessible and the fungi aid in protecting roots from microbial attacks and regulating hormone production. The Researchers in this research investigated how AMF influences the growth rate and fruiting performance of Pleurotus ostreatus in this study. The current mushroom supply levels are insufficient to meet worldwide demand especially in Nigeria since mushrooms mainly come from imported sources. Therefore, yield increases become necessary. Food security may be achieved by increasing the overall mushroom mycelia yield due to the effects of AMF on plant yield. The research explored yield effects from using four (4) different types of AMF. Glomus gigaspora, Glomus clarum, Glomus mosseae, and Glomus derserticola belong to the group of AMF being studied. Mushroom producers utilized sawdust along with calcium carbonate and rice bran as their growth substrates. The researchers calculated the Biological Efficiency (B.E.) that reflected mycelia yield levels. The AMF Glomus clarum had the highest yield with 938.33±35.92g with B.E. of 62.55±2.9%.  This is seconded by Glomus derserticola with the yield of 850.67±46.23g with B.E. of 56.77±3.08%. Glomus gigaspora had a yield of 752.00±37.47g with B.E. of 50.13±2.50% while Glomus mosseae is the least with the yield of 715.33±15.37g with B.E. of 47.69±1.03%. Comparing the average yield, AMF inoculated substrates had more mushroom yield with about 15% increase in mycelia yield. Cultivators of mushrooms are to be encouraged to improve on the yield of mushroom by adding AMF into the substrates after sterilization of the substrates.