Carbon source is an important nutrient source for Pleurotus ostreatus. Its main function is to constitute cell substances and provide energy for growth and development. It is the most abundant element in Pleurotus ostreatus. Pleurotus ostreatus mainly uses organic carbon sources, such as small molecular organic substances such as glucose, sucrose, organic acids and alcohols, as well as high molecular organic substances such as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin and starch.
Small molecular organic substances can be directly absorbed and utilized by cells. Large molecular organic substances such as starch and cellulose must be degraded into glucose by amylase and cellulase before they can be utilized. Hemicellulose and lignin must be degraded into various monosaccharides by hemicellulose and ligninase before they can be utilized.
In the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus, in addition to simple sugars such as glucose and sucrose, carbon sources mainly come from various agricultural and sideline products rich in cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, such as cottonseed hulls, corn cobs, bagasse, etc.
Studies have shown that mannose, glucose and maltose are beneficial to the mycelial growth of Pleurotus ostreatus, while sucrose, fructose, starch and cellulose are beneficial to the formation of fruiting bodies. Adding glucose when making the mother culture medium is beneficial to the direct absorption of mycelium and will make the mycelium grow faster.