The Effect of Sorbitol and Mannitol Supplementation at Casing on the Productive characteristics of Agaricus bisporus Mushroom

Abstract

This study is aimed at investigating the effect of supplementing 1, 3 and 5% of Sorbitol and Mannitol at casing on the productive characteristics of the mushroom Agaricus bisporus. The results revealed a significant increase in the total production and biological efficiency of Agaricus bisporus mushroom .Treatment 1% Sorbitol mushroom recorded the highest production (1286, 90 g/bag) compared with 798.5 g/bag for the control group and 745 g/bag for the Mannitol 1% mushroom (p<0.05).Besides, the biological efficiency was increased from 53.23% to 85.79% with the same supplement. None of the Mannitol supplemented treatment surpassed that of the control group for both traits. However Mannitol 1% recorded significantly higher values when compared with other Mannitol treatments for the total yield and biological efficiency .Sorbitol and Mannitol1% treatments showed significantly the higher values for fruiting body number and the lowest fruit body weight (80, 40 and 16.25 and 17.74, numbers and grams, respectively). Most of the yield occurred on the first break. The full growth compost supplemented with 1% Sorbitol tended to have a more synchronous maturation for the second break in fewer days when mushrooms were harvested. Earliness (days from casing ) for Sorbitol, Mannitol 1% treatments and the control group mushroom  was reported  to be 18 days which differ significantly as  compared with all other  treatments(p<0.05).

Keywords: Agaricus bisporus, Sorbitol and Mannitol, Casing layer.