<![CDATA[Oyster mushrooms have a high moisture content, making them highly susceptible to postharvest deterioration. Solar energy-based drying offers an alternative way to extend shelf life while reducing energy use and environmental impact. This study evaluated the performance of a solar-powered rotary dryer equipped with two UV-plastic-covered collectors for drying oyster mushrooms. The experiment ran over two days, for a total drying time of 16 hours. The observed parameters included collector temperature, solar radiation intensity, moisture content, drying rate, collector efficiency, and dryer efficiency. The results showed that the average collector temperature reached 42.7°C, while the overall average solar radiation intensity was 351.6 W/m². The average radiation intensities received by the right and left collectors were 392.2 and 311.1 W/m², respectively. Drum 1 achieved the lowest final moisture content (5.00%), while Drum 3 reached 5.20%. Collector and dryer efficiencies were 74.92% and 12.55%, respectively. The system shows potential as an effective, environmentally friendly technology for drying oyster mushrooms.]]>
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