Agronomic Performance and Nutritional Quality of Two Alternative Oyster Mushroom Species ( Pleurotus djamor and Pleurotus pulmonarius ) for Diversification of Mushroom Production in Ghana

Mushroom cultivation is a biotechnology that can transform waste of plant origin into valuable food and food products to ensure food security. Despite the global cultivation success of alternative oyster mushroom species, Ghana’s mushroom industry remains narrowly dependent on P. ostreatus , with no comparative agronomic or nutritional evaluation of alternative species conducted under local conditions: a critical gap that exposes producers to disease risk, climate vulnerability, and yield instability. This study investigated the agronomic performance and diversification of two oyster mushroom species, P. djamor (Pd) and P. pulmonarius (Pp), on hard sawdust substrates in Ghana to provide the first integrated, locally grounded evidence base for production diversification. Pure cultures were maintained on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and malt extract agar (MEA) in a refrigerator at 4°C with mycelial growth observed at varying temperatures. Data revealed that both media supported profuse mycelial growth of P. djamor and P. pulmonarius . Optimal mycelial growth occurred at 29°C–31°C for P. djamor and 25°C–27°C for P. pulmonarius , while sustained growth of P. pulmonarius was severely inhibited at 29°C. After four weeks of incubation at 28°C ± 2°C, the spawn bottles were fully colonized. Following the initiation of fruiting conditions (bag opening and transfer to the cropping room), primordia (pinheads) emerged within 2–3 days. Yield analysis revealed biological efficiencies of 70.0% and 67.2% for P. djamor (Pd) and P. pulmonarius (Pp), respectively. P. djamor had a significantly higher primordia‐to‐fruit‐body conversion than P. pulmonarius (70.9% ± 0.61% versus 55.2% ± 0.58%; Tukey’s HSD, p < 0.001). Morphometric characteristics showed that P. pulmonarius recorded significantly higher average stipe length (38.9 ± 0.9 mm) as compared to P. djamor . Proximate analysis revealed species‐specific nutritional profiles: P. djamor exhibited the highest crude fibre (16.1%) and protein content (17.53%) making it a valuable protein source, while P. pulmonarius had the greatest carbohydrate and energy values (50.37% and 364.5 kcal/100 g, respectively). Except for Na, Ca, and Fe, there were no significant differences ( p > 0.05) in the mineral concentrations between P. djamor and P. pulmonarius , indicating similar mineral accumulation capacities. The crude protein content of P. djamor (17.53%) and the energy density of P. pulmonarius (364.5 kcal/100 g) suggest that both species could contribute meaningfully to dietary protein and energy intake when incorporated into local diets, though bioavailability studies and dietary integration assessments are needed to confirm their practical nutritional contribution.