In: Sydowia 76, (2024): 263-278; ISSN 0082-0598, DOI 10.12905/0380.sydowia76-2024-0263, Published online on July 16, 2024

Enhancing cultivation conditions for Pleurotus citrinopileatus: introducing a novel mushroom to Sri Lanka

W. G. Buddhika Prabhath Dharmasena, L. Anuradha Nayani de Silva, Srimathi Thilinalathawo Abeykoon Udugama, Susila Chandrani Wijeyaratne & Dona Helani Hemamala Munasinghe*

Department of Botany, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda 10250, Sri Lanka
Centre for Plant Materials and Herbal Products Research, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda 10250, Sri Lanka
30/B/1, Hanthana Housing Scheme, Kandy, Sri Lanka
* e-mail: helani@sci.sjp.ac.lk

Dharmasena W.G.B.P., de Silva L.A.N., Udugama S.T.A., Wijeyaratne S.C. & Munasinghe D.H.H. (2023) Enhancing cultivation
conditions for Pleurotus citrinopileatus: introducing a novel mushroom to Sri Lanka. – Sydowia 76: 263–278.

Pleurotus citrinopileatus is an edible mushroom industrially cultivated around the world. It has been recorded in tropical
countries, but not in Sri Lanka. The objective of the present study was to optimise the industrial cultivation conditions of this
mushroom that are suitable for cultivation in Sri Lanka. Rubber (Hevea) sawdust was used as the substrate, and the optimum
substrate moisture, CaCO3, CaSO4, rice bran contents, and effect of flour types of Glycine max, Vigna radiata and Elusine coracana
in the substrate mixture was identified, as was the effect of the illuminance on the yield and the quality of the mushrooms.
A moisture content of 63.0–69.7 % based on the dry sawdust weight was optimum, and addition of 1.5 kg of CaCO3 per 100 kg of
sawdust was effective, while CaSO4 and flour types did not significantly affect the mushroom yield. A high yield can be obtained
if the coverings of the circular faces of the substrate bags are removed completely or partially. An illuminance of 500–10000 lx
provided a significantly high yield, but the quality was optimum at 10000 lx. Finally, it can be concluded that this mushroom
species can be successfully cultivated in Sri Lanka.

Keywords: Pleurotus citrinopileatus, golden oyster, mushroom science, molecular characterization, domestication, sawdust
substrate.