Essay Example on Pleurotus ostreatus which is known as the oyster Mushroom

Pleurotus ostreatus which is known as the oyster mushroom the pearl oyster or the grey oyster mushroom is a very common edible mushroom It was first cultivated in Germany as a survival measure during World War I and is grown commercially around the world It is related to the likewise cultivated king oyster mushroom The oyster mushroom is easily recognized by the way it grows on wood in shelf like clusters usually in large size and nearly absent stem It appears between October and early April across North America and features a brown oyster shaped cap and its color range from white to gray A number of similar species are closely related including Pleurotus pulmonarius which is often paler and appears between late April and September and Pleurotus populinus which is found on the wood of quaking aspen It can be described as a fan like or a broad oyster shaped cap 

The gills are white to cream in color while the flesh is white stiff and differ in thickness with stipe arrangement It has the bittersweet aroma of benzaldehyde which is a characteristic of bitter almonds These mushrooms growth by two phases which is called vegetative or mycelial In the P ostreatus growth after spore germination of in vitro grown mycelia hyphae microscopic filaments will invade the substrate Hyphae continue to grow and branch to form a network of hyphae Mycelial growth is generally conjugated with increased respiration and enzyme production Before completing hyphal invasion hyphae absorb digestive products then penetrating the substrate The vegetative growth provide the nutritive materials required for the mushroom growth by direct contact with the substrate figure 2 Pleurotus ostreatus is also known as carnivorous mushroom because its mycelia can kill and digest nematodes small roundworms The mushroom acts as a primary decomposer of wood and beech trees due to its sapotrophic nutrition They actually benefit the forest by decaying the dead wood returning essential elements and minerals to the ecosystem in a form useful to other plants and organisms figure 2 It is usually been found in temperate subtropical forests around the world but it is absent from the Pacific Northwest of North America Other uses of these mushrooms they can help your body as well A study showed that they produce lovastatin which is a cholesterol lowering drug and the consumption of their extracts lowered cholesterol levels in a person The role in mycorestoration process is very fascinating as it is used to lessening pollution levels in certain areas Oyster mushrooms are also efficient in breaking down organic bonds in toxic chemicals petroleum products paper and coffee grounds 

Some of the Pleurotus species are Pleurotus citrinopileatus golden oyster mushroom Pleurotus cornucopiae branched oyster mushroom Pleurotus eryngii king trumpet mushroom and Pleurotus ostreatus oyster mushroom The number of people who are getting interested into this field is quickly increasing Species of Pleurotus are cheapest and easiest to grow among all the cultivated edible mushrooms Cultivation does not require complex substrate preparation technique It has faster growth rate and early cropping About 5 to 6 crops can be taken in a year as the total cropping period is 60 days Oyster mushroom cultivation is continuous business where different natural resources can be used as a growing material The expectation to create a practicable business in urban environments by using coffee grounds is attractive for a lot of entrepreneurs The time to learn mushroom cultivation is time consuming and costly Due to this reason there are many companies in Europe specialized in mushroom cultivation that are offering training for entrepreneurs and organizing events to build community and share knowledge They also show the positive impact of this business on the environment Most farmers also learned mushroom cultivation by doing since mushroom cultivation is not a subject obtainable at school For do it yourselfers oyster mushrooms can be grown from kits sold through seed catalogues and gardening magazines at home or office in a small scale In conclusion mushrooms are a rising crop with unique and highly desired product and offer many benefits Its economic importance to human in terms of medical uses and commercial cultivation have great impact to the environment With a bit of practice oyster mushrooms can easily be grown on many different substrates including straw newspaper and more in a variety of locations