GROWTH MEDIUM OPTIMIZATION AND GENETIC ADAPTATION OF A WILD EDIBLE AGARICUS MUSHROOM SPECIES IN UGANDA

In this study, experiments were carried out to optimize the growth medium of a selected wild edible Agaricus mushroom. The objectives of this study were to select the most popular edible Agaricus sp. sold in open food markets, and to determine the quantitative composition of the substrate formulation for optimal yield. The most popular species was found to be Agaricus bisporus and fresh samples were used to produce spawn for the experiments to determine the substrate quantitative composition, randomized complete design (RCD) was used. Molasses, chicken manure, and maize bran were varied in ten different formulations. Each formulation was replicated four times. Ammonium nitrate, Rice straw and gypsum remained constant in the different formulations. It was also verified that yield of the mushrooms varied within the different formulations. The best formulation was formulation 5, this formulation produced mean mushroom weight of 3.190±1.54 and the least produced mean mushroom weight of 1.5±0.41.