Effect of sporocarp maturity on chemical composition of substrate colonized by Lentinus subnudus Berk

Abstract

Change brought on chemical composition of substrate colonized by Lentinusu subnudus Berk the developing sporocarps were investigated. The colonized substrate was assayed for its proximate constituents at five fruitbody developmental stages of spawn run, primordial, young, mature and over mature and the mature the proximate analyses were for moisture, dry matter, ash, ethanol-soluble sugars, protein, total lipid and crude fibre. Decreases in crude fibre, total lipids and protein contents of substrate were observed from spawn run to over-mature stage. In contrast, dry matter and ash contents increased from spawn run to over-mature stage. In contrast dry matter and ash contents increased from spawn to run to over-mature stage. With respect to substrate sugar content, these were found to increase from spawn run to mature stage and thereafter decreased at the over-mature stage. The significance of these findings and their comparison with results of past of past workers are presented.