Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of saresa (Muntingia calabura L.) leaves as a fruiting bag component for Pleurotus ostreatus var. florida (Pof). Five formulations of fruiting bags were prepared using rice straw (RS), sawdust (SD), and saresa leaves (SL): 70% RS + 30% SD; 70% RS + 20% SD + 10% SL; 70% RS + 15% SD + 15% SL; 70% RS + 10% SD + 20% SL; and 70% RS + 30% SL. The control, 70% RS + 30% SD, had the fastest completion of mycelial ramification (19.00 days), pinhead formation (28.33 days), and fruiting body formation (30.33 days), and produced the highest number of flushes (6.00). Meanwhile, despite having slower growth phases and a lower number of produced flushes, 70% RS + 20% SD + 10% SL was able to outperform the control in terms of total fruiting body weight (79.85 g) and bioefficiency (19.96%). The proximate composition analysis revealed that the formulations containing M. calabura leaves had the highest ash (6.62 g 100 g-1), protein (25.60 g 100 g-1), and crude fiber (14.52%). Essential oils, triterpenes, sterols, tannins, steroids, and alkaloids were all detected in the three formulations, suggesting their equal influence on the mycochemical constituents of Pof. These findings suggest that M. calabura leaves can be utilized as a Pof fruiting bag component. Moreover, optimization of extrinsic and intrinsic factors must be conducted to utilize M. calabura leaves in cultivating Pof more efficiently.