Comparative Study of Pleurotus ostreatus Cultivated Through Different Disinfection Methods Utilizing Coffee Parchment and Cenchrus fungigraminus

Conventional sterilization limits smallholder mushroom cultivation in Papua New Guinea. This study evaluated alternative disinfection methods for Pleurotus ostreatus using coffee parchment and Juncao grass substrates. Twenty strains were screened; the superior strain PXF9 was selected. Three methods were compared: CSAI (T1 and T2), SSOI, (T3), and NSOI (T4). Growth, yield, nutrition, heavy metals, enzymes, and metabolites were assessed. Strain PXF9 showed superior growth. CSAI (T1) achieved the highest yield (3985 g/24 bags), biological efficiency (83.03%), protein (28.44 g/100g), and profit ($14.76), with fastest colonization (21 days). SSOI (T3) produced the largest fruiting bodies, while NSOI (T4) yielded the lowest heavy metal levels. All nutritional values met or exceeded literature standards. SSOI and NSOI generated profits of $9.88 and $5.96 per 24 bags, respectively. Bioactive compounds (naringenin, ergosterol peroxide) were detected across treatments. CSAI maximizes productivity, but SSOI and NSOI are viable low-cost alternatives for resource-limited farmers requiring no autoclave. These findings provide flexible, evidence-based options for sustainable mushroom cultivation using locally available agricultural wastes in tropical regions.