Effects of Various Plant Growth Hormones on Yield and Production Efficacy of Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach

Abstract

Button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) cultivation is a critical component of sustainable agriculture, addressing global food security challenges through efficient resource utilization. This study evaluated the impact of plant growth hormones—gibberellic acid (GA₃), cytokinin (CK), and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA)—on yield, growth kinetics, and nutritional quality in A. bisporus. Compost substrates (4 kg) were amended with hormone concentrations ranging from 2–10 ppm. Results demonstrated that GA₃ at 10 ppm (T₃) exhibited superior performance, achieving the shortest spawn run (12.33 days), earliest pinhead initiation (18.77 days), and fastest first harvest (26.00 days). Morphologically, T₃ produced optimal characteristics with maximum stalk length (3.53 cm), stalk width (2.87 cm), and cap diameter (5.62 cm). T₃ delivered the highest total yield (1345.97 g) and biological efficiency (33.62%), with peak nitrogen (5.32 mg/100 g) and phosphorus (21.09 mg/100 g) content. CK at 10 ppm (T₉) ranked second in overall performance, while NAA at 10 ppm (T₆) maximized magnesium (49.65 mg/100 g) and copper (3.98 mg) concentrations. These findings establish GA₃ supplementation as the most effective strategy for accelerating production cycles and maximizing yield in A. bisporus, demonstrating the potential of targeted phytohormone applications for sustainable mushroom cultivation.