EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF 5% SPENT MUSHROOM SUBSTARTE ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF CAPSICUM ANNUUM
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) has been of great importance in agriculture, Spent mushroom substrate is a good source of carbon, nitrogen and other elements. This study evaluate the efficacy of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as a biofertilizer for enhancing the growth of Capsicum annuum. (bell pepper). Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) was procured from a mushroom farm in Ogbomoso. Capsicum annuum seedlings were procured from Dizengoff Nig. Lyd. Ojodu, Lagos. Soil used for cultivation was obtained from LAUTECH research farm Ogbomoso. Nurseries were prepared using nursery tray (8 by 16) with 128 holes in total. The seed was planted with two seeds per hole, It was watered daily with a drop of water. Influence of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) of oyster mushroom and button mushroom on the improvement of health status of Capsicum annuum was investigated. Analysis of growth promotion in terms of height, number of branches, yield and number of leaf drop indicated that the use of the spent mushroom substrate had a positive effect on the overall growth of the tested plants. SMS had a role in mobilizing the soil phosphate which was evident by a decrease in soil phosphate level and increase in root and leaf phosphate following treatment with SMS. Chlorophyll content of plants increased when treated with oyster mushroom fresh substrate and button mushroom leachate compost. Fruits of plants treated with spent mushroom substrate showed an increase in protein content of about 2.5 times over control. Similarly, carotenoid contents of fruits also increased significantly in the treated plants, but increases in leaves were not significant. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated the potential of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as a viable biofertilizer for enhancing the growth and productivity of Capsicum annuum (bell pepper). The results indicate that SMS application significantly improves growth parameters and yield of
Capsicum annuum compared to conventional fertilization methods, highlighting its potential as a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers.
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