الفهرس 
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Abstract
This study comprised three experiments. The first experiment was intended to test three oyster mushrooms (Pleurotusspp.) along with their four different combinations in bare versus mix cultures. The seven Pleurotusspp strains treatments were Pleurotusostreatus, P. florida, P. sajor- caju, P. ostreatusmix with P. florida, P. ostreatusmix with P. sajor-caju, P. sajor-cajumix with P. floridaand the mix of the three strains (P. sajor-caju, P. floridaand P. ostreatus). Generally, data showed great superiority of mix over sole cultures. Amongst the four mix cultures, P. sajor-cajumix with P. floridawas the most outstanding mushroom strain combination. This strain mix produced fruiting bodies yield exceeding its two individually cultured strains by 207.22 % (P. sajor-caju) and 151.47 % (P. florida) as an average of two experimentation trials. Differently from other mushroom strain mixtures, it produced the largest cap weight and diameter. from this study, it is concluded that mix culture of different strains may be a potential factor for consideration in mushroom production. The second experiment was implemented to test effectiveness of substrate volumes on productivity ofoystermushroom(Pleurotusostreatus).Fourdifferentricestrawsubstratevolumes(0.5,1,2and5 kgs) were used. Data showed that the mushroom grown in 2 kgs substrate volume exhibited the highest biological efficiency and produced the highest fruiting bodies yield. This treatment gave the greatestaverageweightforthewholefruitingbodyandforthefruitingbodycap.However,mushroom grown in 1 kg substrate volume was earlier than 2 kgs volume to colonize. Both treatments were statistically alike concerning days lapsed to harvest the fruiting bodies, the diameter of the fruiting bodiesandtheweightandthelengthofthestem.Further,themushroominthesetreatmentsdegraded the least amount of substrate as shown by both the colonized substrate and spent weight while producing high fruiting bodies yield. Thus a more efficient bioconversion is suggested for the mushroom grown in 1 or 2 kgs substrate. The overall data, however, propose the production of the oyster mushroom (Pleurotusostreatus) in substrate media of 2 kgs volume. The third experiment wasafieldassessmentconductedtostudytheresponseofgrowthandfruityieldineggplant(Solanum melongena L.) cv classic roomy and chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cv omega hybrid transplants produced using different potting media. The media were the spent mushroom compost and the peat moss, in addition to their 1:1 mixture. The 40-day-old transplants were transferred and grown in the openfield.Datarecordedonsomemain growthandyieldtraitsshowednoinfluenceofpottingmedia on field productivity of pepper plants. Likewise was the eggplant, except a marginal total yield difference that was in favor of transplants raised in the spent mushroom compost potting media. Increased fruit weight for eggplants was noticed in one year only for plants derived from transplants raised in the spent mushroom compost potting medium. These results suggests the feasibility of spent mushroomcompostsubstitutiontopeatmossaspottingmediumforproductionofeggplantandpepper and may also be for other horticulturalspecies.
Keywords: biological efficiency, colonizing ability, eggplant, macrofungi, mushroom production, Pleurotus ostreatus, P. florida, P. sajor-caju, peatmoss, pepper, sole culture, spent mushroom compost, sustainable clean environment.