Pleurotus ostreatus Can Significantly Improve the Nutritive Value of Lignocellulosic Crop Residues

Improvement in the nutritive value of corn stover after solid-state fermentation with Pleurotus ostreatus is reported. Two ruminally cannulated dairy cows were used in an in vitro study arranged in a 2 x 3 factorial design with four replicates using P. ostreatus-treated corn stover. The increase in crude protein (58.5%) and ash (25.8%) contents of the treated stover were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than the control. Results suggest a potential increase in in vitro microbial protein synthesis due to a consistent increase (p < 0.001) in microbial mass yield (106-681%), irrespective of the incubation time. The fiber components of the corn stover, except lignin, were significantly reduced (p < 0.05), and the non-fiber carbohydrates were increased by 118% in the treated samples. There was a significant (p < 0.001) increase in both in vitro dry matter disappearance (40.9-240%) and total VFA (5.85-11.2%). Treatment and time interaction was significant (p < 0.001) for propionate production (9.37-14.0%), indicating that the propionate rumen fermentation pathway was preferred. Acetate concentration was reduced (1.76-4.01%), which also resulted in a 7.09-11.42% decrease in the A:P ratio. Overall, results showed that P. ostreatus improved the nutritive value of corn stover by increasing its energetic values, crude protein, microbial mass, and total volatile fatty acid concentrations.

Automated summary

The study reports that solid-state fermentation with Pleurotus ostreatus can improve the nutritive value of corn stover. Using in vitro experiments with ruminally cannulated dairy cows, the treated stover showed significant increases in crude protein and ash contents compared to the control. The study also found that the fiber components of the treated stover were reduced, non-fiber carbohydrates increased, and there were significant increases in in vitro dry matter disappearance and total volatile fatty acid concentrations.