Assessment of Sustainable Mushroom Cultivation Practices, Consumer Awareness and Attitudes Towards Nutritional Supplements in Dutse Jigawa State

The mass consumption of mushroom as an alternative protein source is hindered by superstitions and lack of awareness. Unavailability of raw materials in Dutse, Jigawa State, and reliance on distant cities for supplies, increases production costs. This limits the potential of mushroom production despite its importance. This study evaluated the growth and yield of Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom on different substrates and supplements. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was applied for the mushroom cultivation experiment with four treatments and four replications. Data collected was analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Duncan Multiple Range Test. Additionally, an online survey was conducted among university staff and students to assess their socioeconomic characteristics, attitude, awareness, and constraints towards mushroom consumption. Descriptive statistics such as percentage were applied to analyze the data collected.. The results showed that all treatments attained 100% ramification by the fourth week, with T1 (wheat bran, lime, and sugar) having the highest biological efficiency and yield. The study also investigated the demographic characteristics and awareness level of mushroom consumption among respondents, revealing that 51.5% of respondents had knowledge about mushroom consumption. The constraints to mushroom consumption were identified as lack of awareness of nutritional values, seasonal availability, and personal preference. The study concludes that the use of wheat bran, lime, and sugar as supplements can optimize the growth and yield of Pleaurotus ostreatus mushroom. It is recommended that mushroom farmers and producers adopt this approach to improve mushroom production and consumption, thereby contributing to food security and nutrition.