Solid sisal waste fractions which included composted sisal boles and sisal leaves decortication residues supplemented with cow dung manure at various rates used singly and/or in combination as substrates were investigated for cultivation of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus HK-37). The effect of the test sisal waste substrates and cow dung manure of ISSN 2157-6076 2013 www.macrothink.org/jbls 274 various supplementation rates were evaluated by mushroom yield, biological efficiency and mushroom size. Pinheads occurred in all substrates within 3 to 5 weeks of transfer of bags to the cropping room. The overall best results of mushroom production were obtained in a substrate combination of 50 % sisal leaves + 50 % sisal boles (based on 450 g wet weight substrate) supplemented by 30 % cow dung manure with the mushroom yield of 184.64 g fresh mushrooms/kg moist substrate weight and percentage biological efficiency (B.E) of about 63 %. Mushroom size of 6.10 was obtained in sisal boles substrate supplemented by 20 % cow dung manure. Least yield of 26.73 g fresh mushrooms/kg moist substrate weight and lowest B.E of 8.95 % were obtained from non-supplemented substrate of sisal leaves alone. The study concluded that, supplementation using cow dung manure may play an important role on increasing the yield and productivity of Pleurotus HK-37 on solid sisal waste fractions under the conditions investigated. Journal of Biology and Life Science

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The activity of oxidative and hydrolytic enzymes of the edible and medicinal white rot fungi Coprinus cinereus (Schaeff.) Gray mushroom was observed during mycelia growth and fruiting body development in solid substrate fermentation using sisal waste fractions amended with cow dung manure as supplement. Laccase had the highest titre value among the five detected enzymes. Its activity was higher during mycelia growth compared to fruiting phase, with 10% supplemented substrate formulation unmixed sisal leaf decortication residues [abbreviated SL : SB (100 : 0)] displaying the highest activity of 39.45 ± 12.05 Ug−1. Lignin peroxidase (LiP) exhibited a characteristic wave-like pattern with the highest peaks found either during full mycelia colonization or soon after first flush harvest; the highest activity of 1.93 ± 0.62 Ug−1 was observed on unsupplemented SL : SB (100 : 0) substrate formulation during mycelia colonization. For hydrolytic enzymes, the highest carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity of 2.03 ± 0.70 Ug−1 was observed on 20% supplemented SL : SB (0 : 100) after first flush; that of pectinase (1.90 ± 0.32 Ug−1) was revealed after third flush on 10% supplemented SL : SB (0 : 100) substrate formulation while 10% supplemented SL : SB (25 : 75) exhibited the highest xylanase activity (1.23 ± 0.12 Ug−1) after first flush. These findings show that the activities of both oxidative and hydrolytic enzymes were regulated in line with developmental phase of growth of Coprinus cinereus.