Evaluation of antifungal activity of Pleurotus species cultivated on different agricultural wastes in Chiro, Ethiopia

Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus florida were found to be an edible mushroom which have gained worldwide recognition and increasing popularity owing to their nutritional and medicinal values that can be cultivated on different agricultural wastes like Coffee straw, Pea straw, Sorghum Grain Residue, banana leaves, caw dung and Wheat Grain. The current study was aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of Pleurotus species grown on different agricultural wastes and its nutritional purpose.

Antifungal activity was carried out against three human pathogenic microorganism Trichophyton rubrum, Epidermophyton floccosum and Microsporum gypseum by using disc diffusion method.

Methanolic extract of Pleurotus florida gave strong antifungal activity against Trichophyton rubrum (12.8mm) and Epidermophyton floccosum (11.9mm) when compared to Pleurotus ostreatus. The results suggested that Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus florida cultivated on coffee straw and sorghum grain substrate were found with highest antifungal activity in comparison to other substrates. The results supported the methanolic extracts of Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus florida might indeed be potential sources of antifungal agents.