In vitro Evaluation of Different Nutritive Media for Mycelia Growth of Pleurotus eryngii (DC ex Fr.) Quel

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different solid and liquid media for the mycelial growth, cultural characteristics and growth rate of Pleurotus eryngii. Five different solid media viz., Potato dextrose agar (PDA), Carrot extract agar (CEA), Malt extract agar (MEA), Asthana and Hawker’s agar (A&HA) and Czapek Dox Agar (CDA) as well as their broths were evaluated in vitro to find out the best nutritive media for the optimum mycelial growth of Pleurotus eryngii. Maximum diametric growth (56.27 mm) was in Potato dextrose agar followed by Malt extract agar (48.58 mm) and Asthana and Hawker’s agar (41.84 mm). In liquid media, highest biomass (467.50 mg) was in Potato dextrose broth followed by Carrot extract broth (228.33 mg) and Malt extract broth (186.67 mg). The mycelial growth in different media was white, cottony growth having concentric rings or ray like pattern whereas, in Asthana and Hawker’s as well as Czapek Dox agar, the mycelial growth was transparent white.