Yield, polysaccharides content and antioxidant properties of the mushroom Agaricus subrufescens produced on different substrates based on selected agricultural wastes

The effects of selected agricultural wastes (i.e., asparagus straw, maize straw, cottonseed hull, bean straw, corncob and cotton straw) on yield, polysaccharide content and antioxidant properties of Agaricus subrufescens were examined. No significant differences were found in mushroom yields between asparagus straw substrate and maize straw substrate. The polysaccharides content of fruit bodies on maize straw substrate was significantly higher than that on asparagus straw substrate. According to 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals scavenging ability, reducing power, inhibition of lipid peroxidation and chelating ability for ferrous ions of ethanolic extracts from fruit bodies, it was shown that the antioxidant properties of fruit bodies cultivated on asparagus straw substrate was significantly stronger than that on maize straw substrate. Among four auxiliary materials, corncob was favorable to the enhancement of polysaccharides content of fruit bodies, and cottonseed hull and bean straw were more helpful to the enhancement of mushroom yield than cotton straw and corncob.