Chemical composition and biological properties of Pleurotus spp. cultivated on peat moss and wheat straw

The productivity parameters of 2 Pleurotus spp. cultivated with two mixtures of wheat straw (WS) and peat moss (MG) were evaluated, the chemical composition of the mushrooms and also the antioxidant, antibacterial activities of hexanic extracts of the fruit bodies were determined. Pleurotus strains were fructified using the mixture 1 (60% of WS + 40% of MG) obtained the highest biological efficiencies, production rates and yields. The strain of Pleurotus ostreatus (XC005) cultivated using the mixture 2 (80% WS + 20% of MG) presented fruit bodies with highest protein content being of 25.28%, and also the strain of Pleurotus djamor (XC007) fructified on the mixture 2 showed mushrooms with highest protein content being of 30.98%. The highest antioxidant effect resulted in the hexanic extract of the Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated on M2 was found using the TBARS inhibition assay (EC₅₀ = 0.12 mg mL^-1), while the highest antioxidant activity showed the hexanic extract of the Pleurotus djamor produced on M1 was found using the TBARS inhibition assay (EC₅₀ = 0.21 mg mL^-1). The bactericidal effect of the hexanic extracts of Pleurotus ostreatus was obtained between 21.09 to 27.90 mg mL^-1, whereas the bacteriostatic activity of the hexanic extracts of Pleurotus djamor was achieved since 19.82 to 30.98 mg mL^-1. The results evidenced that the Pleurotus spp. cultivated on the mixture 2 presented highest protein content and better biological properties, encouraging the production of edible fungi strains and their use in the industrial field.