Oxytocin a myth hormone for oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eous)

Recent studies indicate increased misuse of Oxytocin (C43H66N12O12S2) injection in fruits and vegetable farming sectors where it is applied either through injection, spraying or with irrigation to plants especially Cucurbits to enlarge their size in short time. Keeping this in mind, various dilutions of oxytocin viz., 0.1, 0.2 0.3 and 0.5 % v/v were sprayed on the mushroom beds just after the spawn run to evaluate their effect on the yield and biological efficiency of Pleurotus eous. The oxytocin treatments neither minimized the production cycle nor it enhanced mushroom yield especially in relation to the size of fruit bodies. We do not recommend its use for the production of food commodities because of its health hazards.