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Journal of Food Composition and Analysis· 2026Q1

Yield and quality responses of Pleurotus citrinopileatus to varying ratio of common reed and corn cob in cultivation substrates

Qiuling Wang, Yujie Yang, Ziqing Zhang, Tiantian Gan et al.

Short summary

Mixing common reed and corn cob at a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio significantly increased golden oyster mushroom (Pleurotus citrinopileatus) yields by up to 92% compared to single-substrate controls.

AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.

Key points

  • Mixed substrates of common reed and corn cob at 1:1 (LY2) and 2:1 (LY3) ratios yielded the highest cumulative biological efficiencies (up to 92%).
  • These mixed substrates significantly outperformed single-substrate controls (0% and 100% reed).
  • Harvest flush, rather than substrate composition, had a stronger influence on mushroom quality attributes.
  • First-flush mushrooms showed higher crude protein and total amino acid content.
  • Second-flush mushrooms accumulated greater amounts of triterpenoids.

AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.

Abstract

Common reed ( Phragmites australis, abbreviating reed) from saline-alkaline wetlands represents an underutilized lignocellulosic biomass with potential as an alternative substrate for edible mushroom cultivation. However, the effects of reed-to-corn cob ratios on both the yield and nutritional quality of the golden oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus citrinopileatus ) remain poorly understood. This study evaluated five substrate formulations with reed replacing corn cobs at ratios of 0, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, and 1 (LY0-LY4) for P. citrinopileatus cultivation. Yield parameters, organic nutrients, and secondary metabolites were determined across two harvest flushes. The 1:1 (LY2) and 2:1 (LY3) reed-to-corn cob mixtures achieved the highest cumulative biological efficiencies (up to 92%), significantly outperforming single-substrate controls. Redundancy analysis revealed that harvest flush exerted a stronger influence on quality differentiation than substrate composition. First-flush fruiting bodies exhibited higher crude protein and total amino acid contents, while second-flush mushrooms showed greater triterpenoid accumulation. These findings demonstrate that mixed reed-corn cob substrates can effectively enhance mushroom production, and that harvest flush should be considered a critical factor when targeting specific nutritional or functional attributes. This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing substrate formulations and harvest strategies in reed-based cultivation systems.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 2026 · DOI ↗

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Field: Agronomy and Crop Science

Agronomy and Crop ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences