Ajayi O. O.¹, Femi-Ola T. O.^1,

Pleurotus sajor-caju is an important edible mushroom gaining popularity in recent years because of its high nutritional value and ability to grow on diverse agricultural wastes. Certain enzymes have been associated with their pattern of medium degradation, growth or development. Cultivation of P. sajor-caju was carried out using three agricultural wastes (rice straw, sawdust, rice bran) and an industrial waste (Brewers spent grain). The enzyme production from P. sajor-caju cultivated on these agro-industrial wastes was monitored for a period of sixty (60) days. P. sajor-caju cultivated on the different substrates were analyzed for proximate composition and toxicological effects. Cultivation of P. sajor-caju on rice straw had the least cultivation period (28 to 30 days), while P. sajor-caju cultivated on rice bran lasted for 45 to 48 days making these two substrates the most suitable for the growth of P. sajor-caju. Laccase had the highest enzyme activity on rice bran and sawdust (0.422μmol/min/ml and 1.44μmol/min/ml), manganese peroxidase production was the highest on rice straw (1.1063μmol/min/ml) and cellulase was the most active enzyme on brewers spent grain (0.8843μmol/min/ml). The proximate composition of P. sajor-caju cultivated on the Agro-industrial waste used showed that mushrooms cultivated on sawdust had the highest tannin (6.72 mg/100g), phytate (162.48mg/100g) and alkaloid content (3.7%), while mushrooms cultivated on brewers spent grains had a lower tannin, phytate and alkaloid and those cultivated on rice straw had the lowest antinutritional contents. Toxicity study on the effect of Pleurotus sajor-caju on the liver function indicator showed that the experimental feeding of albino rats with Pleurotus sajor-caju had no adverse effects on the enzyme indicators [Alanine Amino Tranferase (ALT), Aspartate Amino Transferase (AST), Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) and Alkaline Phophatase (ALP)] for liver function.

Pleurotus sajor-caju, Lignocellulosic enzymes, Antinutrient composition