UNIT-IV: Skill Development: Mushroom Cultivation

1. Introduction: Nutritional and Medicinal value of edible mushroom; Poisonous

mushroom. Edible mushroom: Volvariella volvacea, Plerotuscitrino pileatus, Agaricus
bisporus
2. Technology of Mushroom cultivation: Infrastructure: Mushroom unit (Thatched
house); Tools: Polythene bags, vessels, inoculation hook, inoculation loop, low cost
stove, sievers, culture rack, water sprayer, tray, medium.
3. Techniques: Substrate, Preparation of Medium and spawn, sterilization,
multiplication, bed preparation (Paddy-straw, sugarcane trash, banana leaves)
 Nutritional and Medicinal Values of Mushrooms

Meeting the food demand for the increasing population from the limited land
resource is a big challenge for our Indian democracy in this vulnerable climate change era.
In addition to this, wide spread malnutrition and associated diseases are more common
among the economically poor population. This compels us to search for cheap alternative
quality nutritional sources for our huge population. Non green revolution otherwise
referred as mushroom farming is one among the apt ways to meet this challenge because
mushroom grow on wastes without requiring additional land besides its exceptional
nutritional and medicinal properties.
Nutritional values of Mushrooms
Indian diet is primarily based on cereals (wheat, rice and maize), which is
deficient in protein. Supplementation of mushroom recipe in Indian diet will bridge protein
gap and improve the general health of socio-economically backward communities. Earlier
mushrooms were considered as an expensive vegetable and were preferred by affluent
peoples for culinary purposes. Currently common populace also considers mushroom as a
quality food due to its health benefits.
Mushroom is considered to be a complete, health food and suitable for all age groups,
child to aged people. The nutritional value of mushroom is affected by numerous factors
such as species, stage of development and environmental conditions. Mushrooms are
rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. The digestible carbohydrate profile
of mushroom includes starches, pentoses, hexoses, disaccharides, amino sugars, sugar
alcohols and sugar acids. The total carbohydrate content in mushroom varied from 26-
82% on dry weight basis in different mushrooms. The crude fibre composition of the
mushroom consists of partially digestible polysaccharides and chitin.
Edible mushrooms commonly have insignificant lipid level with higher proportion of
polyunsaturated fatty acids. All these resulted in low calorific yield from mushroom
foods. Mushrooms do not have cholesterol. Instead, they have ergosterol that acts as a
precursor for Vit-D synthesis in human body. The protein content of edible mushrooms
is usually high, but varies greatly. The crude protein content of mushrooms varied from
12 – 35% depending upon the species. The free amino acids composition differs widely
but in general they are rich in theronine and valine but deficient in sulphur containing
aminoacids (ethionine and cysteine). Nutritive values of different mushroom are given
in Table 1.
 Table 1: Nutritive values of different mushrooms (dry weight basis g/100g)

Mushroom Carbohydra Fibre Protein Fat Ash Energy

te k cal
Agaricus bisporous 46.17 20.90 33.48 3.10 5.70 499
Pleurotus sajor-caju 63.40 48.60 19.23 2.70 6.32 412
Lentinula edodes 47.60 28.80 32.93 3.73 5.20 387
Pleurotus ostreatus 57.60 8.70 30.40 2.20 9.80 265
Vovarella volvaceae 54.80 5.50 37.50 2.60 1.10 305
Calocybe indica 64.26 3.40 17.69 4.10 7.43 391
Flammulina velutipes 73.10 3.70 17.60 1.90 7.40 378
Auricularia auricula 82.80 19.80 4.20 8.30 4.70 351
Mushrooms comprise about eighty to ninety per cent of water, and eight to ten per cent
of fiber. In addition to these, mushroom is an excellent source of vitamins especially C
and B (Folic acid, Thiamine, Riboflavine and Niacin). Minerals viz., potassium, sodium
and phosphorous are higher in fruit bodies of the mushroom. It also contains other
essential minerals (Cu, Zn, Mg) in traces but deficient in iron and calcium.
Medicinal values
Since thousands of years, edible fungi have been revered for their immense
health benefits and extensively used in folk medicine. Specific biochemical compounds
in mushrooms are responsible for improving human health in many ways. These
bioactive compounds include polysaccharides, tri-terpenoids, low molecular weight
proteins, glycoprotins and immunomodulating compounds. Hence mushrooms have
been shown to promote immune function; boost health; lower the risk of cancer; inhibit
tumor growth; help balancing blood sugar; ward off viruses, bacteria, and fungi; reduce
inflammation; and support the body's detoxification mechanisms. Increasing
recognition of mushrooms in complementing conventional medicines is also well
known for fighting many diseases. Medicinal values of the some important mushroom
are given in Table 2.
 Table 2: Medicinal values of some important mushrooms
Mushroom Compounds Medicinal properties Courtesy
Ganoderma Ganoderic acid Augments immune system Lin and Zhang, 2004
lucidum Liver protection Wang et al., 2007
Beta-glucan Antibiotic properties Moradali et al., 2006
Inhibits cholesterol synthesis Komoda et al., 1989
Lentinula edodes Eritadenine Lower cholestrol Enman et al., 2007
Lentinan Anti-cancer agent
A. bisporous Lectins Enhance insulin secretion Ahmad, 1984

P. sajor-caju Lovastatin Lower cholesterol Gunde and Cimerman, 1995

G. frondosa Polysaccharide Lectins Increases insulin secretion Decrease blood Horio and Ohtsuru, 2001
glucose
Auricularia Acidic polysaccharides Decrease blood glucose Yuan et al., 1998
auricula
Flammulina Ergothioneine Antioxidant Bao (2008)
velutipes Proflamin Anti cancer activity Ikekawa et al., 1985

Trametes versicolor Polysaccharide-K (Kresin) Decrease immune system depression Coles and Toth, 2005

Cordyceps sinensis Cordycepin Cure lung infections Li et al., 2006

Hypoglycemic activity Ko et al., 2009
Cellular health properties Nishizawa et al., 2007
Anti-depressant activity
1. Good for heart
The edible mushrooms have little fat with higher proportion of unsaturated
fatty acids and absence of cholesterol and consequently it is the relevant choice for
heart patients and treating cardiovascular diseases. Minimal sodium with rich
potassium in mushroom enhances salt balance and maintaining blood circulation in
human. Hence, mushrooms are suitable for people suffering from high blood pressure.
Regular consumption of mushrooms like Lentinula, Pleurotus spp were stern to
decrease cholesterol levels.
2. Low calorie food
The diabetic patients choose mushroom as an ideal food due to its low calorific
value, no starch, and little fat and sugars. The lean proteins present in mushrooms help
to burn cholesterol in the body. Thus it is most preferable food for people striving to
shed their extra weight.
3. Prevents cancer
Compounds restricting tumor activity are found in some mushrooms but only a
limited number have undergone clinical trials. All forms of edible mushrooms, and white
button mushrooms in particular, can prevent prostate and breast cancer. Fresh
mushrooms are capable of arresting the action of 5-alpha-reductase and aromatase,
chemicals responsible for growth of cancerous tumors. The drug known as
Polysaccharide-K (Kresin), is isolated from Trametes versicolor (Coriolus versicolor),
which is used as a leading cancer drug. Some mushroom-derived polysaccharides have
ability to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy too. Such effects have
been clinically validated in mushrooms like Lentinula edodes, Tramtes versicolor,
Agaricus bisporous and others.
4. Anti-aging property
The polysaccharides from mushrooms are potent scavengers of super oxide
free radicals. These antioxidants prevent the action of free radicals in the body,
consequently reducing the aging process. Ergothioneine is a specific antioxidant found in
Flammulina velutipes and Agaricus bisporus which is necessary for healthy eyes, kidney,
bone marrow, liver and skin.
5. Regulates digestive system
The fermentable fiber as well as oligosaccharide from mushrooms acts as a prebiotics in
intestine and therefore they anchor useful bacteria in the colon. This dietary fibre assists
the digestion process and healthy functioning of bowel system.
6. Strengthens immunity
Mushrooms are capable of strengthening the immune system. A diverse
collection of polysaccharides (beta-glucans) and minerals, isolated from mushroom is
responsible for up-regulating the immune system. These compounds potentiate the host’s
innate (non-specific) and acquired (specific) immune responses and activate all kinds of
immune cells.
Mushrooms, akin to plants, have a great potential for the production quality food. These
are the source of bioactive metabolites and are a prolific resource for drugs. Knowledge
advancement in biochemistry, biotechnology and molecular biology boosts application of
mushrooms in medical sciences. From a holistic consideration, the edible mushrooms
and its by-products may offer highly palatable, nutritious and healthy food besides its
pharmacological benefits.
Still there are enough challenges ahead. Until now, how these products works is elusive
and vast number of potential wild mushrooms are not explored. The utility of mycelia is
paid little attention but it has tremendous potential, as it can be produced year around
with defined standard. Knowledge on dose requirement, route and timing of
administration, mechanism of action and site of activity is also lacking. Work is under
progress in various laboratories across the world to validate these medicinal properties
and isolation of new compounds. If these challenges are meet out in the coming days,
mushroom industries will play a lead role in neutraceutical and pharmaceutical
industries. The increasing awareness about high nutritional value accompanied by
medicinal properties means that mushrooms are going to be important food item in
coming days and at places may emerge as an alternate to non-vegetarian foods. Growing
mushroom is economically and ecologically beneficial. Consuming mushroom is
beneficial in every respect.
Poisonous Mushrooms

We have briefly discussed poisonous mushrooms when we covered the eating of wild
mushrooms. It was difficult not to since eating wild mushrooms and mushroom
poisoning seem to be closely related subjects. This is a rather important topic since
mushrooms have apparently been gathered for eating throughout the world, for thousands
of years, and it is also likely that during that time many people became ill or died when
they inadvertently consumed poisonous mushrooms. Because some mushrooms were
known to cause death when consumed.
Although only a few of the 70-80 species of poisonous mushrooms are actually fatal
when ingested, many of these deadly fungi bear an unfortunate resemblance to edible
species and are thus especially dangerous. Read on to learn more about these terrifyingly
lethal mushrooms
Death Cap (Amanita phalloides)
Perhaps the deadliest of all mushrooms, the death cap is found
throughout Europe and closely resembles edible straw
mushrooms and caesar’s mushrooms. Its heat-stable amatoxins
withstand cooking temperatures and quickly damage cells
throughout the body. Within 6 to 12 hours after consumption,
violent abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea appear,
causing rapid loss of fluid from the tissues and intense thirst.
Signs of severe involvement of the liver, kidneys, and central
nervous system soon follow, including a decrease in urinary
output and a lowering of blood sugar. This condition leads to
coma and death in more than 50 percent of the incidents.
Notable deaths include Pope Clement VII, who died of
accidental death cap poisoning in 1534, and possibly Roman
Emperor Claudius in 54 CE.
Conocybe filaris
Conocybe filaris is an innocent-looking
lawn mushroom that is especially common
in the Pacific Northwest. Featuring the same
mycotoxins as the death cap mushroom, C.
filaris is potentially fatal if eaten. The onset
of gastrointestinal symptoms often occurs 6-
24 hours after the mushrooms were
consumed, frequently leading to an initial
misdiagnosis of food poisoning or the
stomach flu. The patient may appear to
recover, only to suffer from a life-
threatening reappearance of the
gastrointestinal distress, coupled with liver
and kidney failure.
Webcaps (Cortinarius species)
The two species of webcap, the deadly webcap
(Cortinarius rubellus) and the fool’s webcap
(Cortinarius orellanus), are very similar in appearance
to both each other and to a number of edible varieties.
These mushrooms feature a poison known as orellanin,
which initially causes symptoms similar to the common
flu. Orellanin has an insidiously long latency period and
may take 2 days to 3 weeks to cause symptoms, often
leading to a misdiagnosis. The toxin ultimately causes
kidney failure and death if left untreated. In 2008,
English author Nicholas Evans mistakenly collected and
served webcap mushrooms to his relatives, resulting in
hospitalization for four of them. He, his wife, and his
brother-in-law all required kidney transplants as a result
of the poisoning.
Autumn Skullcap (Galerina marginata)
Common throughout the Northern
Hemisphere and parts of Australia, Galerina
marginata is a gilled, wood-rotting
mushroom with the same amatoxins as the
death cap mushroom. Ingestion causes
diarrhea, vomiting, hypothermia, and liver
damage, and can result in death if left
untreated. While it is not especially similar
to edible species, several deaths and
poisonings have been attributed to collectors
mistaking the autumn skullcap for
hallucinogenic Psilocybe mushrooms.
Destroying Angels (Amanita species)
The destroying angels are actually several
species of all-white mushrooms in the
genus Amanita. These incredibly toxic
fungi are very similar in appearance to
edible button mushrooms and the meadow
mushrooms, and have been collected by
mistake on numerous occassions. One of
these species, Amanita bisporigera, is
considered to be the most toxic North
American mushroom. Symptoms take 5 to
24 hours to appear and include vomiting,
delirium, convulsions, diarrhea, liver and
kidney failure, and often lead to death.
Podostroma cornu-damae
This rare fungus is native to Asia and has
been responsible for a number of fatalities
in Japan and Korea. Its red fruiting bodies
contain potent toxins known as
trichothecene mycotoxins and can cause
multiple organ failure in those unlucky
enough to consume them. Symptoms of
poisoning include stomach pain, peeling
skin, hair loss, low blood pressure, liver
necrosis, acute kidney failure, and result in
death if left untreated.
Deadly Dapperling
(Lepiota brunneoincarnata)
The deadly dapperling is a gilled mushroom
known to contain amatoxins. Widely
distributed throughout Europe and parts of
Asia, the mushroom is fairly innocuous and has
been mistaken for edible varieties, though
poisonings are not very common. Accidental
consumption leads to severe liver toxicity and
can have lethal consequences if immediate
treatment is not received.
Morphology of mushroom

Mushrooms can be defined as “a macro-fungus with distinctive fruiting bodies, epigeous

or hypogeous, large enough to be seen with naked eyes and picked up by the hands”. The

mushroom fruiting body may be umbrella like or of various other shapes, size and colour.

Commonly it consists of a cap or pileus and a stalk or stipe but others have additional

structures like veil or annulus, a cup or volva. Cap or pileus is the expanded portion of the

carpophore (fruit body) which may be thick, fleshy, membranous or corky.

On the underside of the pileus, gills are situated. These
gills bear spores on their surface and exhibit a change in
colour corresponding to that of the spores. The
attachment of the gills to the stipe helps in the
identification of the mushroom. On the basis of the
attachment, gills are of following types:
Free gill: when the gills do not touch the stipe or only do
so by a fine line.
Adnate gill: when gills are attached directly to the stem
forming nearly a right angle with the stem/stipe.
Decurrent gill: when the gills extend down the stem to a
greater or lesser degree.
Adnexed gill: if the attachment of the gills is only by a
part of the stem to a greater or lesser degree.
Sinuate gill: when gills are near the stalk in a deep notch.
EDIBLE MUSHROOMS:
Volvariella volvacea (also known as paddy straw
mushroom or straw mushroom) is a species of edible
mushroom cultivated throughout East and Southeast
Asia and used extensively in Asian cuisines. They are often
available fresh in regions they are cultivated, but elsewhere
are more frequently found canned or dried. Worldwide,
straw mushrooms are the third most consumed mushroom.
Cultivation
Straw mushrooms are grown on rice straw beds and are most commonly picked when
immature (often labeled "unpeeled"), during their button or egg phase and before the
veil ruptures.[3] They are adaptable and take four to five days to mature, and are most
successfully grown in subtropical climates with high annual rainfall. No record has
been found of their cultivation before the 19th century
Nutrition
One cup of straw mushrooms is nutritionally dense and provides 240 kilojoules (58
kilocalories) of food energy, 27.7 µg selenium (50.36% of RDA), 699 mg sodium
(46.60%), 2.6 mg iron (32.50%), 0.242 mg copper (26.89%), 69 µg vitamin B9 (Folate)
(17.25%), 111 mg phosphorus (15.86%), 0.75 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
(15.00%), 6.97 g protein (13.94%), 4.5 g total dietary fiber (11.84%), and 1.22 mg zinc
(11.09%)
Identification
In their button stage, straw mushrooms resemble poisonous death caps, but can be
distinguished by several mycological features, including their pink spore print (spore
prints of death caps are white). The two mushrooms have different distributions, with the
death cap generally not found where the straw mushroom grows natively, but
immigrants, particularly those from Southeast Asia to California and Australia, have been
poisoned due to misidentification.
AGARICUS BISPORUS:
Agaricus bisporus is an edible basidiomycete mushroom native
to grasslands in Europe and North America. It has two color states while immature –
white and brown – both of which have various names, with additional names for the
mature state.
A. bisporus is cultivated in more than seventy countries,[2] and is one of the most
commonly and widely consumed mushrooms in the world.
When immature and white, this mushroom may be known as common
mushroom, white mushroom, button mushroom, cultivated mushroom, table
mushroom, and champignon mushroom (or simply champignon). When immature
and brown, it may be known variously as Swiss brown mushroom, Roman brown
mushroom, Italian brown mushroom, cremini/crimini mushroom, chestnut
mushroom (not to be confused with Pholiota adiposa), and baby bella.
When marketed in its mature state, the mushroom is brown with a cap measuring 10–15
centimetres (4–6 inches). This form is commonly sold under the names portobello
mushroom, portabella mushroom, and portobella mushroom, but the etymology is
disputed
Description
The pileus or cap of the original wild species is a pale grey-brown in color, with broad,
flat scales on a paler background and fading toward the margins. It is first hemispherical
in shape before flattening out with maturity, and 5–10 centimetres (2–4 inches) in
diameter. The narrow, crowded gills are free and initially, pink, then red-brown and
finally a dark brown with a whitish edge from the cheilocystidia. The cylindrical stipe is
up to 6 cm (2 1⁄2 in) tall by 1–2 cm (1⁄2–3⁄4 in) wide and bears a thick and narrow ring,
which may be streaked on the upper side. The firm flesh is white, although stains a pale
pinkish-red on bruising. The spore print is dark brown. The spores are oval to round and
measure approximately 4.5–5.5 μm × 5–7.5 μm, and the basidia usually two-spored,
although two-tetrasporic varieties have been described from the Mojave Desert and
the Mediterranean, with predominantly heterothallic and homothallic lifestyles,
respectively.
This mushroom is commonly found worldwide in fields and grassy areas following rain,
from late spring through to autumn, especially in association with manure. In many parts
of the world it is widely collected and eaten; however, resemblance to deadly or
poisonous lookalikes (see below) should be noted.
Cultivation history
A. bisporus being cultivated
The earliest scientific description of the commercial cultivation of A. bisporus was made
by French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort in 1707. French agriculturist Olivier de
Serres noted that transplanting mushroom mycelia would lead to the propagation of more
mushrooms.
Originally, cultivation was unreliable as mushroom growers would watch for good flushes
of mushrooms in fields before digging up the mycelium and replanting them in beds of
composted manure or inoculating 'bricks' of compressed litter, loam, and manure. Spawn
collected this way contained pathogens and crops commonly would be infected or not
grow at all. In 1893, sterilized, or pure culture, spawn was discovered and produced by
the Pasteur Institute in Paris, for cultivation on composted horse manure.
Modern commercial varieties of the common agaricus mushroom originally were light
brown in color. The white mushroom was discovered in 1925 growing among a bed of
brown mushrooms at the Keystone Mushroom Farm in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Louis
Ferdinand Lambert, the farm's owner and a mycologist by training, brought the white
mushroom back to his laboratory. As with the reception of white bread, it was seen as a
more attractive food item and became grown and distributed. Similar to the commercial
development history of the navel orange and Red Delicious apple, cultures were grown
from the mutant individuals, and most of the cream-colored store mushrooms marketed
today are products of this 1925 chance natural mutation.
A. bisporus is now cultivated in at least seventy countries throughout the world. Global
production in the early 1990s was reported to be more than 1.4 billion kilograms
(1.5 million short tons), worth more than US$2 billion. In the U.S., the white button form
of A. bisporus alone accounts for about 90% of mushrooms sold.[
Nutritional profile
In a 100-gram serving, raw white mushrooms provide 93 kilojoules (22 kilocalories)
of food energy and are an excellent source (> 19% of the Daily Value, DV) of the B
vitamins, riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid (table). Fresh mushrooms are also a
good source (10–19% DV) of the dietary mineral phosphorus (table).
While fresh A. bisporus only contains 0.2 micrograms (8 IU) of vitamin
D as ergocalciferol (vitamin D2), the ergocalciferol content increases substantially after
exposure to UV light.
Pleurotus citrinopileatus
Pleurotus citrinopileatus, the golden oyster mushroom (tamogitake in Japanese), is
an edible gilled fungus. Native to eastern Russia, northern China, and Japan, the golden
oyster mushroom is very closely related to P. cornucopiae of Europe, with some authors
considering them to be at the rank of subspecies. In far eastern Russia, P. citrinopileatus,
they are called iI'mak, is one of the most popular wild edible mushrooms
Description
The fruiting bodies of P. citrinopileatus grow in clusters of bright yellow to golden
brown caps with a velvety, dry surface texture. Caps range from 20–65 millimetres (3⁄4–
2 1⁄2 inches) in diameter. The flesh is thin and white, with a mild taste and without a
strong smell. Stems are cylindrical, white in color, often curved or bent, and about 20–
50 mm (3⁄4–2 in) long and 2–8 mm (1⁄16–5⁄16 in) in diameter. The gills are white, closely
spaced, and run down the stem. The spores of the golden oyster mushroom are
cylindrical or elliptical in shape, smooth, hyaline, amyloid, and measure 6-9 by 2–3.5
micrometres.
Ecology
The golden oyster mushroom, like other species of oyster mushroom, is a wood-decay
fungus. In the wild, P. citrinopileatus most commonly decays hardwoods such as elm.
Spores are spread by Callipogon relictus, a beetle.
Uses
Golden oyster mushrooms are cultivated commercially, usually on a medium of grain,
straw, or sawdust. Pleurotus species are some of the most commonly cultivated
mushrooms, particularly in China, due to their ease of cultivation and their ability to
convert 100 g of organic refuse into 50-70 g of fresh mushrooms.
P. citrinopileatus mushrooms are a source of antioxidants. Extracts from P.
citrinopileatus have been studied for their antihyperglycemic properties,
decreasing blood sugar levels in diabetic rats. They have also been studied as a source
of lipid-lowering drugs; P. ostreatus, a related oyster mushroom, has been found to
contain the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin
INFRASTRUCTURE The production of mushrooms need some basic
infrastructure before the production of mushrooms in large scale. These are as follows:
Substrates (locally available) – Different types like straw, dried plant parts, wheat.
Wheat husk, Outer seed coat of groundnut, stems of Soybean etc. Polythene bag-
Used to fill up the substrate Vessels- also used to hold the substrates , Inoculation
hook- To inoculate the substrate with the spawns Inoculation loop- to inoculate the
substrate from the media. low cost stove- For warming up Sieves- as air filters
Culture rack- to place the culture media with the degree of sterilization, Mushroom
unit (Thatched house) – the place for large scale production, Water sprayer- water to
maintain the desire humidity of the substrates Tray-used to hold the substrate for
larger area, Small polythene bag
SUBSTRATES: As the agriculture waste possesses high nutrients in one hand but
causes soil pollution on the other, the lignocelluloses can be used for the growth of the
mycelia. Straw, wheat straw, banana leaf, wood waste etc mostly used for the same.
Microbes from the substrates must be disposed off as it can interferes the growth of
the mycelia.
 Cellulose, lignin, mostly induce the growth of Pleurotus ostreatus but Volvariella
volvacea mostly promoted by cellulose, For better yield, gypsum, lime, urea may be
added to the main substrate for better performance, The substrate depends upon the
nature of the edible fungi supposed to be produced in this regard.
POLYTHIN BAGS: Plerotus sp production , 20*30 cm or 18*25 polythin bags used for
mushroom beds. The mouth of the polythin bag is open to insert straw, keeping 3-5 cm.
space upon which the spawns are inoculated
3-4 layers of straw beds are made with spawn for better yield with proper space making
sufficient humidity & aeration facilities in this regard. After 25-30 days, the mushrooms
growth visible.
VESSEL:A cultivation vessel for fungi has a wide-mouthed upper opening and a lower
opening, each of which is detachably covered by a respective top and bottom end cap.
One or more such vessels are prepared, sawdust and rice barn are packed as the culture
medium therein, and a mushroom spawn is inoculated thereon to spread and culture the
hypha. After culturing for about 20 days, the culture mediums are taken out and further
successively cultured for about 3 to 30 days in contact with each other to develop the
fruit bodies.
INOCULATION HOOK & INOCULATION LOOP: Before the spawn preparation,
fungi mycelia are grown in PDA medium for multiplication in sterilized container,
appears as white layer, the fungal growth is added to the seed using the device called
inoculating needle & the inoculating needle contains 5 mm circular loop called
inoculating loop. The entire transfer is done inside the sterile chamber . Very often,
inoculating hook can be used for the same purpose for effective transfer of the fungal
mycelia.
USE OF STOVES IN MUSHROOM CULTIVATION: Small LPG containing
stoves to be used, The wheat grains preparation by sterilization that to be used as
spawn, High heat resistant polythene bags containing the seeds of wheat for spawn to
be sterilized using autoclave, The heating of autoclave followed by the use of steam
to be used in this purpose.
USE OF SIEVE IN MUSHROOM CULTIVATION: The wheat grains used to be as
spawn may consists of debris, The debris to be disposed off by using sieves, When
the straw is used as spawn medium, the excess water from the straw to be disposed off
by using sieves, The diameter of the sieve must be larger than the usual sieves used
for this purpose
RACK USED IN MUSHROOM CVULTIVATION: Iron racks to be used, It
consists of 5-6 stairs, Each stirs must have distance of 60 cm. Each rack consists
of compost or the polythin bags containing spawns, The distance between the two
racks must be more than 30 cm. The room having the iron racks have the area of 24
mt * 8 mt. Each culture room may contain 52-55 tones compost for better mass
production of mushroom, The culture room might be concrete made with plaster
finishing, The roof of the culture room must be made of concrete, The aeration
facilities with adequate arrangement of moisture must be maintained
CHARACTERS OF MUSHROOM CULTIVATION ROOM: The production
unit of the mushroom cultivation depends upon the yield, Each room generally
consists of 60*20*10 ft having bamboo made rach, The roof of the house made up of
bamboo, paddy straw or sarkandra grass, Each rack may have the area of 55 * 4.0 ft,
Each 1 MT mushroom production unit have 1536 sq mt. cropping unit, The
temperature maintaining is very important with AHU It may contain separate
processing unit, The entire unit must comply the all sorts of safety measures as
desired by the safety rules and protocols
How to Grow Button Mushroom
Making Compost
The first step to grow mushrooms is composting that is done in the open. Compost yard
for button mushroom farming is prepared on clean, raised platforms made of concrete.
They should be raised so that the excess water does not get collected at the heap.
Though the composting is done in the open, they should be covered to protect from rain
water. Compost prepared is of 2 types – natural & synthetic compost. The compost is
made in trays of dimensions 100 X 50 X 15 cm.
Synthetic Compost for Mushroom Farming
The elements for synthetic compost include wheat straw, bran, urea, calcium ammonium
nitrate / ammonium sulphate and gypsum. The straw should be cut to 8 to 20 cm. in
length. It is then spread equally to form a thin layer on the composting yard. After this it
is soaked thoroughly by sprinkling water. The next step is to blend all other ingredients
like urea, bran, gypsum, calcium nitrate with the wet straw & mound them into a pile.
Natural Compost
Here the ingredients required are horse dung, poultry manure, wheat straw and gypsum.
Wheat straw must be sliced finely. Horse dung should not be mixed with that of other
animals. It must be freshly collected & not exposed to rain. After the ingredients are
mixed, they are uniformly spread on the composting yard. Water is sprayed on the
surface to wet the straws. It is heaped & turned like that for synthetic manure. Due to
fermentation, the temperature of the heap goes up and it gives a smell because of
ammonia escaping. This is a sign that the compost has opened. The heap is turned every
three days and sprinkled with water.
Filling the Compost in Trays
The prepared compost is dark brown in color. When you fill the compost into trays, it
should be neither too wet nor too dry. If the compost is dry then spray a few drops of
water. If too damp, then let some water to evaporate. The size of the trays for spreading
the compost could be as per your convenience. But, it must be 15 to 18 cm deep. Also
make sure that the trays are made of soft wood. The trays must be filled with compost to
the edge and levelled on the surface.
Spawning
Spawning is basically the process of sowing the mushroom mycelium into the beds. The
spawns can be obtained from certified national laboratories at nominal price. Spawning
can be done in 2 ways – by scattering the compost on the bed surface in the tray or else
mixing the grain spawn with compost before filling the trays. After spawning cover the
trays with old newspapers. The sheet is then sprinkled with little water to maintain
moisture & humidity. There must be a head space of at least 1 meter between the top
tray and the ceiling.
Casing
Casing soil is made by mixing finely crushed and sieved, rotten cow dung with the
garden soil. The pH should be on the alkaline side. Once ready, the casing soil has to be
sterilized to kill the pests, nematodes, insects & other molds. Sterilization can be done
by treating it with formalin solution or by steaming. After the casing soil is spread on
the compost the temperature is maintained at 25⁰C for 72 hours & then lowered to 18⁰C.
Remember that casing stage requires a lot of fresh air. Therefore the room must have
sufficient ventilation facilities during the casing stage.
Cropping
After 15 to 20 days of casing, the pinheads start becoming noticeable. White colored,
small-sized buttons start developing within 5 to 6 days of this stage. Mushrooms are
ready for harvesting when the caps are placed tight on the short stem.
Harvesting
During harvesting, the cap should be twisted off gently. For this, you need to hold it
gently with the forefingers, press against the soil & then twist off. The base of the stalk
in which mycelial threads & soil particles cling should be chopped off.
How to Grow Paddy Straw Mushroom
Paddy straw mushroom is grown in South-east parts of Asia. It is one of the most
popular mushrooms owing to its taste. Unlike button mushrooms, they are grown on
raised platforms under shadow or in well-ventilated rooms.
Spawning
Paddy straw mushrooms are spawned on chopped, soaked paddy straws. At times they
are spawned on cereal grains or millets. When they are spawned on paddy straw, they
are known as straw spawn and when spawned on cereal grains, they are called grain
spawn.
In India, the mushroom of this variety is grown on paddy straw. Well dried and long
straws are tied together in bundles of 8 to 10 cm in diameter. Then they are chopped to
uniform length of 70 to 80 cm & soaked in water for 12 to 16 hours. Excess water is
then drained off.
Bed Preparation
Since the mushrooms are cultivated on raised platforms, the foundations made of bricks
& soil ought to be raised. The size must be a little larger than the bedding and should be
strong enough to hold the weight of the bed. A bamboo frame of the size of the
foundation is put on top of the foundation. At least 4 bundles from the soaked straw is
put on the frame. Another 4 bundles are located but with the loose ends in the opposite
direction. These 8 bundles together make up the 1st layer of bedding. Around 12 cm
away from the 1st layer, the grain spawn is scattered.
After the last layer is made, cover the whole bed with a transparent plastic sheet.
However proper care must be taken to make sure that the sheet is not in contact with
the bed.
Mushrooming
Usually, mushrooms begin to grow within 10 to 15 days of spawning. They continue to
grow for the next 10 days. Once the volva erupts & the mushroom inside is exposed, the
crop is ready for harvesting. These mushrooms being very fragile have a very short shelf
life hence they must be consumed fresh.
How to grow Oyster Mushroom
Oyster Mushroom is grown where the climatic conditions are not good for the button
mushrooms. It is the simplest to grow & most delicious to eat. Being very low in fat
content it is usually suggested for controlling obesity & also to patients suffering from
diabetes, and blood pressure.
Oyster mushroom can grow at moderate temperature that ranges from 20 – 300 C and
humidity 55-70 percent for a period of 6 – 8 months in a year. It can also be cultivated in
summer season by providing the extra humidity needed for its growth. In hilly areas – the
best growing season is during March or April to September or October while in the lower
regions it is from September or October to March or April.
The process for oyster mushroom cultivation can be divided into following 4 steps:
•Preparation of spawn
•Substrate preparation
•Spawning of substrate
•Crop management
Oyster mushroom can be cultivated on several agro-wastes having cellulose & lignin
that helps in more enzyme production of cellulose, which is correlated with more yield.
These consist of straw of paddy, wheat / ragi, stalk & leaves of maize, millets and
cotton, used citronella leaf, sugarcane bagasse, saw dust, jute and cotton waste, used tea
leaf waste, useless waste paper and synthetic compost of button mushrooms etc. It can
also be cultivated with the use of industrial wastes such as paper mill sludges, coffee
byproducts, tobacco waste, etc.
THE END