2025, Vol. 8, Issue 4, Part H

author(s)
Deepshikha Manu Chandrakar, CS Shukla, HK Singh, Suresh Kumar Sahu and Deepmala Lakra

abstract
An experiment was conducted from October 2022 to September 2023 in the Balod district of Chhattisgarh to evaluate the influence of prevailing environmental conditions specifically maximum and minimum temperatures and relative humidity on the growth and yield of Pleurotus djamor cultivated on paddy and wheat straw substrates. The study assessed key developmental parameters such as spawn run duration, pinhead initiation, fresh yield, and biological efficiency across different months. Results revealed significant seasonal variation, with the shortest spawn run (10-11 days) and earliest pinhead initiation (2.0 days) occurring in July and August, under moderate temperatures (20-30 °C) and high relative humidity (70-80%). Conversely, no spawn run was observed in May and June due to extreme heat (up to 36.7 °C) and low humidity (62-67%). Fresh yield and biological efficiency were highest during the cooler months, January, February, and November ranging from 394.71 to 419.14 g and 70-83%, respectively. Correlation analysis confirmed strong negative associations between temperature variables and all growth parameters, while relative humidity showed moderate positive correlations with yield and biological efficiency. These findings underscore the critical role of environmental factors, particularly temperature, in optimizing the cultivation of P. djamor, and provide actionable insights for improving production strategies in tropical and subtropical regions.