Some chemical and biochemical changes in straw constituents during growth of P. flabellatus (Berk and Br.) Sacc.

The quantitative changes in constituents of rice straw during different
stages of growth of the fungus Pleurotus flabetlatus were investigated. Cellulose,
hemicellulose(s), lignin, total carbon and total nitrogen showed a continuous
decrease from inoculation until the end of fruit body harvesting, whereas
free sugars, total ash and C/N ratio increased. As calculated on constant ash basis,
14 and 13.9% of cellulose, 6.6 and 7% of hemicellulose(s) and 4 and 1.5% of
lignin were decomposed during the mycelial growth and fructification respectively.
Total N decreased by 0.16 and 0.23% during the mycelial growth and
fructification respectively. The progressive breakdown of cellulose and hemicellulose(
s) was correlated to an apparent increase in the activities of celullase
and hemicellulase(s). The trend in development of cellulases and/3-glucosidase
activities in the substrate during different stages of its growth was demonstrated.