Sr. No. Title Page No.

1. Historical background on Mushroom cultivation

2. Mushroom introduction scope and importance
3. Present scenario of Mushroom
4. Collection and identification of mushroom
5. Taxonomy and classification of mushroom
6. Study of morphology of mushroom
7. Life cycle of mushroom
8. Types of Edible mushroom
9. Poisonous mushroom and mushroom poisoning
10. Medicinal and nutritional importance of mushroom
11. Acquaintance with instruments / equipments and materials
required for mushroom and spawn of mushroom
12. Preparation of culture media
13. Isolation, identification and maintenance of different type
of mushroom
14. Preparation of spawn of mushroom
15. Cultivation of Oyster mushroom
16. Cultivation of White button mushroom
17. Cultivation of Paddy straw mushroom
18. Production technology of Special Mushroom
a. Cultivation of Milky mushroom
b. Cultivation of Shitake mushroom
c. Production techniques of Winter mushroom
d. Cultivation of Reishi mushroom
19. a. Insect, mite and nematodes of mushroom
b. Diseases and pest of mushroom and their management
20. Recipes of mushroom
21. Post harvest management of Mushroom
22. Spent mushroom substrate and its cultivation
23. Marketing of mushroom

1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ON MUSHROOM

CULTIVATION
Historical Background

The word mushroom derived from ‘French’ word for fungi and moulds, one day
around 1650 a melon grower near pairs discovered mushroom growing on his growth
fertilizers. It was at that time mushroom was given nickname Parisian mushroom.
Later on French gardener chambray discovered the caves has just right cool and moist
environment for cultivating mushroom. After which large scale mushroom cultivation
developed in caves around Paris.
 Fungi are most likely cultivated 1st time. Year 600 in Asia. In Europe 10th
cultivated fungi the mushroom in 17th century
 Mushrooms were in introduced into the Netherland 1st time at beginning
19th century.
 In last 50 years Netherland has grown in the largest mushroom production
country within European union next to china and united states.

1651: Discovery of mushroom in the Paris waste from melon crops

1707: 1st controlled cultivation of edible fungi in vegetable garden.
1934: 1st scientific study of mushroom culture in the research station Netherlands
1939: Experimental cultivation of paddy straw mushroom by DOA Chennai
1940: Spawn production & Cultivation of paddy straw mushroom by Su and Seth in
India.

History of mushroom in India

 Around 1980 government of Himachal Pradesh appointed Shri S.S. Jain as 1 st
Ass. Plant pathologist and mycologist for the state.
 He worked in the wild flower hall in chharabra Shimla
 He searched the literature and found that edible mushroom was being grown in
france & Japan.
 He made a research proposal on growing of edible mushroom & got the
permission for the same from state government and obtained mushroom spawn
from Japan & France and started laboratory in Solan Shimla hills & started
his research experiments on growing edible mushroom of Agaricus and other
species in laboratory condition

2. MUSHROOM: INTRODUCTION SCOPE AND

IMPORTANCE
Introduction of Mushroom
Definition :-
“These are the fleshy or leathery compound fructification with variously coloured
commonly found on manure pits dung heaps and on any rich organic matter. They are
borne on stalk and provide with gills and pores to the underside which contains
mycelia layer.”

Mushroom may be edible and non-edible. Mushroom is reproductive structure of

edible fungi that belong to Basidomycotina, these may epigeal or hypogeal.
Mushroom are fungi which lack chlorophyll and can't manufacture their own food
material, However mushrooms can produce a wide range of enzyme that degrade the
complex substrate on which they grow. Mushroom occurs under various ecological
conditions from desert to forest. They comprise a large heterogeneous group with
different shape, size, colour & edibility or the 2000 known edible species. Only 20 are
commercially cultivation. These are white button mushroom paddy straw mushroom
& oyster mushroom. At present white button mushroom contributed about 85 % of
total Mushroom.

Scope and importance of Mushroom

Indian diet is primarily based on cereal which is deficient in protein.
Supplementation of mushrooms recipe will bridge protein gap and improve the
general of socio-economically backward community.
Earlier mushrooms were considered as an expensive vegetables and quality food due
to health benefits. They also suitable for all ages group, child to aged.

NUTRITITIVE VALUE OF MUSHROOMS

o Most nutritive & delicious mushroom.
o Protein content- 3.5 to 4%.
o Excellent source of Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, pantothenic acid, Biotin,
vitamin-B, C, & D.
o Unique food for Diabetic patient & people who suffer from hypertension.
(MPKV/RES.PUB/175/2015)
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrate contains of mushroom represents the bulk of fruting bodies
accounting for 50 – 60% on dry weight basis. Free sugar accounts to about 11 %
fresh mushroom contain 0.9 % mannitol, 0.28 % reducing sugar, 0.59% glycogen and
0.91% hemicelluloses. Mushroom contain about 80-90% of water and 8 to 10% fiber
Proteins
Proteins is as important constitute of dry matter of mushroom
On dry basis mushroom normally contain 19 to 35 % proteins depending on species.
They are rich in theronini and Balinese but deficient in sulphur containing amino
acids (methionine & cysteine)
The quality of mushrooms protein is far superior to the vegetables protein and good as
it just inferior to animal protein
Fat:
In mushroom the fat content is very low as compared to carbohydrate and
protein. The fat present in mushroom fruiting bodies are dominated by unsaturated
fatty acids specially linoleum acid with no cholesterol
Fat contain in mushroom as 2.04 % to 8% crude fat
Energy valve
Mushrooms are a good source of energy. About 454 gm fresh mushrooms
provides 120 k calories
Vitamins
Mushroom are rich in Vitamins B such as riboflavin (B2), folate (B9) Nicin
(B3), Thiamine (B1) & Pantothenic acid (B5).
The B vitamin helps the body to get energy from food, and they help form red blood
cells.
Important for a healthy brain
Folic acid and vitB12 which is generally absent in plant foods is present in
mushrooms in small quantities. As little as 3 gm of fresh mushrooms provides may
provide the recommended daily intake of vit B12
Mineral constituents
The fruiting bodies of mushroom are characterized by a high level of well assimilated
mineralelements. K, P, Na, Mg, Ca & element like Cu, Zn, Fe, Mo, Ca.
Medicinal importance
 Medicinal mycology is old as traditional uses of mushroom; they have been
used in medicine since the Neolithic and paleolithic eras.
 Basic active principles of mushroom which are health promoting
 Mushroom have used in health care for treating simple and age old common
diseases like skin diseases also pandemic disease like AIDS. They are possess
anti allergic anti cholesterol and anti cancer properties
 Aqueous extracts from Pleurotus sojar caju proves good in renal failure.
Antioxidants activity
 Antioxidants are chemical compound that protect cells from damage caused by
unstable molecules.
 Mushroom acts as antioxidant.
 Also mushroom does not have cholesterol instead, they have ergosterol that
acts as a precursor of vit D synthesis in human body.
 Similarly ergosterol in button mushroom is converted into vit D2 when
exposed to UV ray or sunlight.
Other Importance
 Compound extracted from mushroom have antifungal and antibacterial
properties.
 Compound is capable of agro waste degradation They grown on organic
substance either row or composted.
 Mushroom grows independent of sunlight without fertile land and provide
additional avenue for increasing food supply.
 They are low calorie food with very little fat & sugar and without starch and
cholesterol
  Most of the mushroom have very low starch contain & can ideal food for
diabetic patients

3. Collection and identification of mushroom

6. STUDY OF MORPHOLOGY, TAXONOMY AND

CLASSIFICATION OF MUSHROOM
MORPOLOGY
Mushrooms are the fleshy or leathery compound fructifications with
variously colored, commonly found on manure pits, dung heaps and on any rich
organic matter. They are borne on stalk and provide with gills and pores to the
underside which contains hymenial layer. The mushroom may be edible and non-
edible.
The morphology of mushroom includes the study of forms of mushroom and
relationship between their structures. The typical mushroom shows different parts
such as cup, gills, veil, annuls, strip, mycelium which shows different structure such
as gills produce microscopic spore, and mycelium absorb food materials. (Agrios.,
2005; Tripathi., 2005; Wikipedia).

The morphology of mushroom includes the study of forms of mushroom and

relationship between their structures. The typical mushroom shows different parts
such as cup, gills, veil, annuls, strip, mycelium which shows different structure such
as gills produce microscopic spore, mycelium absorb food materials.

The morphology of a mushroom shows different parts which having

different structure. The different parts of mushroom plays different function such as
gills produce microspores, stipe gives support to cap, mycelium absorbs the food
material. Thus the study of morphology is important in mushroom production and
also it helps to identify the edible & Poisonous mushroom. There are thousand of
species of mushroom in the world. Study of different morphological characteristics
helps to identification and classification mushroom. Taxonomy is the scientific study
of mushroom and classification includes grouping of mushroom according to their
similar character. Thus the study of taxonomy & classification helps for easy study,
for identification of different mushroom and also for the production of mushroom.

 Different parts of mushroom:-

1] Cap / pileus
2] Gills / lamella
3] Veil
4] Annuals / rings
5] Strip / stem
6] Volva
7] Mycelium

1) Cap / pileus:
Top expanded and flatten part of mushroom is called cap or pileus.
2) Gills / lamella:
Leaf like structure situated bellow the cap of mushroom starting from apex to
margins is called as gills. Gills produce microscopic spore.
3) Veil :
In young fruiting bodies gills remain cover by tissue that extend from cup to
stripe these tissue are called veil.
4) Annuls / ring :
Remaining portion of veil after expansion of on stripe in the form of ring is
called annuls or rings.
5) Stipe / stem / stalk :-
Stalk which supports the cup of mushroom is called stem / stipe of mushroom.
6) Volva :
At base forming cup like structure known as volva.
7) Mycelium :
Mycelium is underground vegetative part of mushroom. It absorbs the food
materials.
TAXONOMY:
Taxonomy is the scientific study of mushroom which includes kingdom, division,
class and order of mushroom according to their different characteristics. Classification
includes arranging the mushroom into the group having similar characteristics according to
color of mushroom nature, habits, edible and non edible type.
Taxonomic position of oyster mushroom is Kingdom- mycota, phylum-
Basidiomycota, class: Agaricomycetes, Family : Pleurotaceae, Genus : Pleurotus and
species : P.sajor-caju, P. eous, P. florida etc.,

Kingdom Fungi
Division Eumycota

Sub division Basidiomycotina

Class Agaricomycetes

Order Agaricales

CLASSIFICATION OF MUSHROOM
Classification includes arranging the mushroom into the group having similar
characteristics according to color of mushroom nature, habits, edible and non edible
type. Species is the unit of classification (Agrios., 2005; Tripathi., 2005; Wikipedia).

CLASSIFICATION OF MUSHROOM:
A) CLASSIFICATION ACORDING TO NATURE OF HABITS:-
1] Humicolous or humus inhabiting
Type of Mushroom Examples
a) Saprophytic:- eg. Volvariella sp.
b) Symbiotic:- eg. Boletus sp., Lactricus sp. & Tricholoma sp.
2] Lignocolous or wood inhibiting
a) Saprophytic:- eg. Agacybe sp., pleurotus sp.
b) Parasitic:- eg. Armellariella mellea

B) CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO COLOUR OF MUSHROOM:-

1) White spored mushroom eg. Amanita sp., Pleurotus sp.
2) Pink spored mushroom : eg. Entoloma sp., Volvariella sp.
3) Black spored mushroom : eg. Coprinus sp., Panaelous sp.

C) CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING EDIABILITY

1) Edible mushroom:- Button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)
Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes)
Oyster mushroom (Plerotus sajor-caju)
Paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea)
2) Non non-edible mushroom/ Amanita phalloides,
poisonous mushroom Amanita verna,
Amanita muscaria
1) Edible Mushroom
Mushroom are used extensively in cooking in many countries like Chinese European and
Japanse they are known as the meat of the vegetable word most mushroom are grown in super
market have been commerically grown on mushroom farms

Agaricus bisporus
It is commonly known as white Button mushroom
sporophores usually centraiiy stipillate piecus usually
3.5cmto10cm in diameter
gills crowed flesh whitewhen fresh becoming pinkish
on exposure excellent flavour which is found in
Himachal pradesh J&K Central india orissa Nilgiri
&Kumaoon hills

Agaricus bitorquis
It is commonly as town or street mushroom
sporophores solitary or in clusters are grows in grassy
places some times at the road sides
plieus upto 2 cm in diameter gills crowded stipe short
tapering towards the base flash white found in south
west india and punjab
Agaricus bitorquis

Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus spp.)

Oyster mushroom popularly known as ‘Dhingri’
mushroom
There are 25 species are cultivated in world.
The oyster mushroom grows under natural condition on
trees or dead woody branches of trees as saprophytes and
primary decomposers
This mushroom are known as ‘wood fungus’ and in India
commonly known as ‘Dhingri Mushroom’
pileus usually 1.5 cm to 20 cm in diameter stipe may be
eccentric or centrally stipitate
Gills are decurrent found in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Oyster Mushroom
Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh.
Common Species P. sojar caju, P. florida, P. eous and P.
flabellatus.
 Volvariella spp.
It is commonly known as Paddy straw mushroom
or chinese mushroom
sporophores usually grows solitarily or
gregarious on rotten paddy straw heaps pileus is
usually 5 to12cm in diameter centrally stipitate
gills crowded Greyish in colour cultivate in
different part of india

Lentinula edodes
It is commonly known as ‘Shitake mushroom’
sporophores usually grow on wood of dead and
deciduous tree pileus up to 11 cm in diameter
brown in colour centrally stipitate gills crowed
its origin in japan cultivated in J&K and Manipur

Poisonous Mushroom
The present review focuses on effect of antimicrobial bioactive compounds from
mushroom isolate &their potential as antimicrobial agent against multi drug resistant
pathogens further more these bioactive compounds of mushroom extract where active against
pathogen hence the review will be certainly useful for future scientific studies which
development of some stable biological active compounds. Examples of poisonous type of
mushroom are, Amanita spp, Big Red false morels, False Morels (Gyromitra sp.), Green-
spored lepiota, Jack- o lantern and Little brown mushroom

1) Amanitas spp.
This large group of mushroom accounts for 90% of mushroom related death so every
mushroom hunter should be familiar with amanitas they contain one of the dead poisons
found in nature

a) Amanita phalloides:-
It is also known as ‘Death cap’
In AD 54 king Cladius Caesar was murdered by
his queen due to decoxation of Amanita
phalloides which damage liver & kidneys, thus
the first mushroom known to the man.
It contain amanitin toxin.

b Amanita verna:-
)
 It is also known as Death cap
It occurs in Europe in spring.
Commonly known as fool’s mushroom,
destroying angel.
It associated with various deciduous &
coniferous trees.
The cap, stipes and gills are white in colour .

c) Amanita muscaria :-
Commonly known as fly agaric or fly amanita.
Native throughout the temperate the northern hemisphere.
It also associated with deciduous & Coniferous trees.
It is called as a true cosmopolitan species.

d) False morels (Gyromitra spp.)

This group of potentially toxic mushroom includes species
that are commonly confused with the delectable morels

e) Little brown mushroom

various species of confusingly similar mushroom like the
LGBs (little gray birds) of the birdwatchers this is the
catchall category its include all the small to medium sized
mushroom hard in identify brownish mushroom with
spores of all colors

Little brown mushroom

Reference:
Agrios, G. N. (2005). Plant Pathology (5th Edition). Academic Press, New York.
Agrown newspaper Edible Mushroom book
Handbook of Mushroom Production.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org
https://en.m.wikipedia.org.
https://www.kullabus.com
https://www.kullabus.com
Manual of Mushroom Production Path- 486
McGowan JEJ Economic Impact of antimicrobial resistance Emerg Infect Diseases 2001 7
286-292
Mushroom and fungi –Reddy New York.
Tripathi, D. P. (2005). Mushroom Cultivation 63-64.
WWW Mushroom production.com

7. Life Cycle of Mushroom

The mushroom cultivator follows the path of the mushroom life cycle.
Mushroom is a macro fungus with a distinctive fruiting body, which can be either
epigeous or hypogeous and large enough to be seen with naked eye and to be picked
by hand.
The species nomenclature may be based on host, morphology, microscopic
characters, phylogenetic analysis and interbreedability. Fruit bodies form only at the
completion of the mushroom life cycle and for most species, occure but for a few
days, and then disappear. Species vary in colur, size aand these parameters highly
affected by the environment. Some of the commonly cultivated species are Pleurotus
osteriatus (blue), P. florida (white), P. sojor-caju (brown), P. eous (pink), P. djamor
(light pink) etc., Mycelium condenses into hyphal knots, which then develop into
“primordial” or baby mushroom.
Conclusion:
Life cycle of the mushroom is important for the cultivation of mushroom at
home. For successful cultivation it is necessary to have insight of mushroom.
Literature Cited:
Suman and Sharma Mushroom cultivation and uses. 29- 35
Singh, M. and Kappor, S. (2017). Revisiting species concept in Pleurotus, the oyster
mushroom. Agric. Res. J. 54(3):289-301.

8. Types of Edible mushroom

 Mushrooms are the fleshy or leathery compound fructifications with variously
colored, commonly found on manure pits, dung heaps and on any rich organic matter. They
are borne on stalk and provide with gills and pores to the underside which contains hymenial
layer. The mushroom may be edible and non-edible

Some of the edible mushrooms are Pleurotus spp, Ganoderma spp., Cantharellus spp,
Agaricus spp, Russula spp, Auricularia spp. and Termitomyces spp; but the ornamentals are
the beautifully ringed Microporous spp. Amanita spp, Lepiota cristata, Lepiota
brunneoincarnata and Inocybe asterospora, Coprinus spp. are among the most important
species responsible for mushroom poisoning. Mushrooms are identified traditionally by their
appearance, taste, colour, odour, presence of scales etc. Edible mushrooms are treated as a
garnish or delicacy which can be taken regularly as part of the human diet, healthy food or as
functional foods. Mushrooms can be designed to supplement the human diet not as regular
food, but for the enhancement of health and fitness which can be classified into the category
of dietary supplements/mushroom nutriceuticals. The major problem arising from eating
mushrooms is the inability of mushroom gatherers or mushroom scientists to identify the
poisonous mushrooms which contain toxins and can be very detrimental to human health.
Recognition of edible from non edible mushrooms is simply an art that is being
handed from generation to generation. Occasionally, there are miscalculations in this art due
to close resemblance of mushroom species and non-edible mushrooms are picked and
consumed by families resulting in high level consequences. Mushroom poisoning (also
known as mycetism or mycetismus) which is the harmful effects from ingestion of toxic
substances present in a mushroom has occurred in many rural population.The symptoms of
mushroom poisoning can vary from slight gastro-intestinal discomfort, vomiting to death. It
may also vary from gastric upset to life-threatening organ failure resulting in death.
Incubation period may range from a day to several weeks after which serious symptoms will
occur and before this time the toxins must have attacked the kidney or liver.

Mushrooms can be found extensively in a variety of natural environment & visual

identification of mushroom species is well established some mushrooms are known because
their nurtional & therapeutical properties some species are known because of their toxicity.
Mushrooms are identified traditionally by their appearance taste color presence of scales etc.
Hazardous toxins are present in these species and are able to cause different syndromes that
can be fatal depending on the amount ingested. (Ukwuru., et.al. 2018).
 Paddy straw mushroom :- (Volvariella volvacea)
It is also known as Chinese straw mushroom.
It required high temperature i.e.30-36 ^c. & relative
humidity 70-80 %.
It accounts for 16 % of total requirement.

Shiitake mushroom :- (Lentinula edodes)

It is native of East Asia.
It considered as medicinal mushroom.

Literature cited:
Manual of mushroom production-PATH-486.
Pandey, R. K. Handbook of mushroom production.
Ukwuru, M.U., Muritala, A. and Eze, L. U. (2018). Edible and non edible wild mushroom :
Nutrition, toxicity and strategies for recognition. J.of clinical nutrition and
metabolism. 2(2).

9. POISONOUS MUSHROOM AND MUSHROOM

POISONING
Approximately, 1, 40,000 species of mushrooms have already been catalogued
all over the world. Some are considered for human consumption and poisonous. These
mushrooms have psychoactive toxins. Ingestion of toxic mushroom is invariably
accidental that is caused by misidentification of species. Mushroom poisoning among
other forms of poisoning contribute high morbidity and mortality (Lima et al., 2012;
Kaya, et al., 2014).

Mushroom poisoning is defined as toxic condition caused by eating certain

species of mushroom. Classification of amanita species namely death cap (Amanita
phalloides), fly agarius (Amanita muscaria), destroying angel (Amanita virosa)
(Kaya, e. al., 2014).

All Amanita species are ecto-mycorrhizal in habitat. Toxicity depends on

toxins present in species. Some toxins are phallotoxins, amatoxins. Common
symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, fever, liver and kidney failure. Treatment is
preliminary medical care, supportive measures, specific treatment, and liver
transplantation (Barman, et. al., 2017; Kaya, et. al., 2014).

Conclusion:
In countries where mushrooms are highly consumed that are reported every year
due to mis-identification of species. Hazardous toxins are in this species and are able to
cause different syndromes that can be fatal depending upon the amount ingested. So
that identification is important to avoid accidents and identification of symptoms and
intoxications.

Literature cited:
Barman, B., Lynrah, K.G. and Tiewsoh, L. (2017). Mushroom poisoning. www.
Reserchgate. net. Chapeter 14. 538-541.
Lima, A.D.L., Fortes, R.C., Novaes, M.R.C.G. and Percario, S. (2012). Poisonous
mushroom: a review of most common intoxications. Nutr.Hosp. 27(2): 402-
408.
Kaya, E., Surman, M.G., Aydin, Z. and Colakoglu, S. (2014). Clinical importance of
toxin concentration in Amanita verna mushroom. Toxicon. 87 : 68-75.

10. Medicinal and Nutritional Importance of Mushroom

Meeting the food demand for the increasing population from the limited
resource is big challenge for India. This compels us to search for cheap alternative
quality nutritional source for our population. Mushroom farming is one among the
method to meet this challenge.
Mushroom is important source of food. Mushroom provides potentially
generating employment, improving economic status of growers. It is a good source for
vegetarians as provides of high quality protein, carbohydrates, vitamins (vitamin D,
C and B complex) amino acids, and minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus
potassium, selenium and dietary fiber and can boost immune system (Manikandan.,
2010; Sharma and Vaidya., 2011).
Mushroom is good source of proteins and contains 20-35% protein (dry wt.
basis) which is higher than vegetable and fruits. They are very rich in lysine and
tryptophan, that two essential amino acid deficient in cereals. A single source
vegetable protein is of poorer quality. Mushroom quality is superior to vegetables and
is good as animal protein. Mushroom with high protein content contains free amount
of amino acids. Mushroom is most free from fat except for linoleic acid. They are low
fat food with 2-8% crude fat on dry wt. basis. Most of mushroom has low starch
content and can form ideal food for diabetic patients. Mushrooms are good source of
many vitamins especially B complex Like most vegetables they are rich in
minerals .minerals of highest content of potassium (45 % of total ash content)
followed by phosphorous, sodium, calcium together constitutes 56-70% total ash
content. It constitutes the greatest fraction of mushroom dry matter. (Manikandan.,
2010; Wani, et al., 2010; Breene., 1989; Singh., 2005).
Conclusion:
 Mushrooms are having health benefits viz., good for heart, low-calorie food, prevent
cancer, anti ageing property, regulate digestive system, strengthens immunity,
diabetics, weight management and satiety etc.
 Nutritionally mushrooms are low in fat but high in proteins, carbohydrate and
vitamins.
 Mushrooms contain a variety of minerals trace elements viz. potassium and
copper and vitamins (riboflavin and niacin).
 The use of mushroom is a very good approach generally these are of good for
heart, having low calorie value, and it is very good for diabetic patients having
low fat content and prevent cancer selenium compound.

Literature cited:
Wani, A. B., Bodha, R. H. and Wani, A. H. (2010). Nutritional and medicinal
importance of mushroom. J. of Medicinal Pl. Re. 4(24):26598-2604.
Breene, W. M. (1989). Nutritional and medicinal value of speciality mushrooms.
Department of food science and nutrition. 53: 893-899.
Manikandan (2010). Nutritional and medicinal value of mushroom. 1-4
Sharma, S. and Vaidya, D. (2011). White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus):
composition, nutritive values shelf life extension and value addition. Int. J.
Fd.Fer.Technol. 1(2): 185-199.
Singh, R. (2005). A review on different benefits of mushroom. J. of Pharmacy and
biological sciences.12.

11. Acquaintance with instruments / equipments and materials

required for mushroom and spawn of mushroom

CULTURE MEDIA
 There are several media on which the mushroom cultures can grow, the compositions
of which are given below:
PDA (Potato Dextrose Agar) medium
a) Washing, peeling & slicing of 200g potatoes.
b) Boiling in 1000ml distilled water until potatoes become soft enough to be eaten
but not over cooked. Straining through cheese cloth & collecting of liquid in
graduated cylinder followed by restoring of volume to 1000 ml by adding fresh
distilled water.
c) Addition of 20 g dextrose and 15 g agar followed by boiling while stirring
occasionally until agar is dissolved completely.
d) Transferring of the medium into 10ml tubes or 250ml conical flask followed by
plugging with non-absorbent cotton.
e) Sterilization at 1210C or 15p.s.i for 15-20 minutes.
f) Preparation of slants by putting still hot tubes in slanting position or pouring of
medium in sterilized petridishes and leaving as such for next 24 hours for
cooling.
b) Malt Extract Agar
Distilled Water- 1000ml,
Malt extract -25g,
Peptone -5g,
Agar -20g,
pH 7.0 – 7.5.

Equipments and Culture Media Required for Mushroom & Spawn

Production

This study report potential application of culture as an efficient substrate for

isolating mushroom from the fruiting body. Starch rich and energy rich media viz.,
PDA use as standard medium for isolation, mother culture, Pure culture and sub
culturing of various species of edible mushroom (White button mushroom, Oyester
mushroom , shiitake mushroom, Paddy straw mushroom etc.) (Stanley and Waadu.,
2010).
Mycelial growth of mushroom was measured the average mycelial colony
diameter on different media. Mycelial growth of mushroom show that different
culture media can be use for laboratory cultivation wide range of media are used for
isolation of different group of fungi that influence the vegetative growth and colony
morphology, pigmentation and sporulation depending upon the composition of
specific culture medium, pH, light, water availability and surrounding atmospheric
gas mixture (Agrios., 2005; Liu et al., 1996).

Conclusion:
This study report the potential application of Potato dextrose, Oat meal, Malt
agar, Soybean malt and Yeast extract as an efficient substrate for isolating mushroom
from fruiting body this above culture medias are found suitable for the mycelial
growth for Pleurotus sajor-caju, V. volvacea. Further research is still needs to assess
the application of temperature and nutrition condition on the mycellial growth of
mushroom and effect of substrate for the spawn preperation on mycelial growth of
three mushroom under laboratory by using different equipments.
Literature cited:
Agrios, G. N. (2005). Plant Pathology (5th Edition). Academic Press, New York.
Amadi, O.C, Moneke, A. N., (2012). Use of starch containing tubers for the formation
of culture media for fungal cultivation. African J of Microbiol Res. 21:4527-
4532
https://iihr.res.in
Hand book. Fundamentals of Plant Pathology.121.
Liu, S.Y., Wang J. U. and Shyu, Y. T. (1996). Studies of cultures in Taiwan, 111-126.
Stanley, H.O., Waadu, G. D., (2010). Effect of substrate of spawn production on
mycellial growth of Oyster Mushroom. Res. J. of Applied Sci., 5(3): 161-
164.

14. PREPARATION OF SPAWN OF MUSHROOM

CONTENTS

• Introduction
• Types of mushroom
• Equipment of spawn laboratory
• Pure culture production
• Substrate preparation
• Mother spawn preparation
• Commercial spawn preparation
• Spawn storage and its transport

INTRODUCTION
• Mushroom: These are the fleshy or leathery compound fructification with
variously coloured commonly found on manure pits dung heaps and on any
rich organic matter. They are borne on stalk and provide with gills and pores
to the underside which contains mycelia layer. They may be edible and non-
edible.
• Spawn: it is the vegetative mycelium from a selected mushroom grown on a
convenient medium like wheat, pearl millet, sorghum, etc for raising
mushroom crop.
• Substrate: It is material used for multiplication of spawn of mushroom. e.g.
wheat, bajara, sorghum etc.
Pure culture preparation
i. Preparation Pure culture of fleshy fungi/mushrooms can be prepared either by
multi-spore culture or tissue culture.
 ii. Multi-spore culture is made from spore print that can be obtained by having a
fresh fruit body after alcohol sterilization above a petriplate/sterilized paper.
iii. Millions of spores are collected within 48 hours.
iv. Serially diluted loop full of spores are then transferred to sterile Potato-
dextrose-agar (PDA) or Malt-extract-agar culture slants.
v. These slants are then incubated at 25°C ± 2°C for 2 weeks to obtain pure
culture.
vi. For tissue culture, the basidiocarp after alcohol sterilization is cut
longitudinally into 2 halves and bits from collar region are transferred to pre
sterilized PDA or MEA culture medium.
vii. The Petri-plates are incubated at 25°C ± 2°C in BOD incubator for one week.
viii. Substrate preparation
ix. Mushroom spawn can be prepared on any kind of cereal grains like wheat,
jowar, bajra or rye and agricultural waste like corn cobs, wooden sticks, rice
straw, saw dust and used tea leaves, etc. Spawn substrate i.e. cereal grains
should be free from diseases and cereal grains should not be broken, old, and
insect damaged.

Substrate preparation
Mushroom spawn can be prepared on any kind of cereal grains like wheat,
jowar, bajra or rye and agricultural waste like corn cobs, wooden sticks, rice straw,
saw dust and used tea leaves, etc. Spawn substrate i.e. cereal grains should be free
from diseases and cereal grains should not be broken, old, and insect damaged.

Substrate preparation procedure

i. Select good quality sorghum or wheat grains free from pest and moulds.
ii. Boil the grains submerged in clean water for 20 – 30 minutes. When the grains
become soft, remove and spread evenly on a cotton cloth to drain out the water
and cool the grains.
iii. Mix 3 percent chalk powder (30g / kg of grain) for adjusting the pH and to
keep the grains loose.
iv. Fill 250 gm of grain in cleaned and dried glucose bottle of 500ml capacity or
polypropylene bags and plug the mouth of the bottle tightly with non
absorbent cotton.
v. Sterilize the bottles in autoclave by exposing to 121 c and 15lbs pressure /sq
inch for 20 minutes. After cooling transfer the bottles to inoculation chamber.

Mother spawns preparation

About 350 g prepared substrate is filled in glucose/milk bottles up to 2/3
volume and plugged with non-absorbent cotton. The plugs are covered with
aluminium foil. These bottles are then autoclaved at 22 lb psi. pressure at 126°C for
1.5 to 2 hr. These autoclaved bottles are left in the room for 24 hours for cooling and
are kept on laminar flow under U.V. tube for 20-30 minutes before inoculation. A
piece of mycelium (pure culture) grown in Petri plates is aseptically transferred to
these bottles and inoculated bottles are incubated at 25°C.
Preparation of Mother Spawn:

Take Healthy and cleaned cereal grains

¯
Boil Grains in water (15-20 min)
¯
Remove excess water on sieve
¯
Dry the grains in shade (4 hrs)
¯
Mix CaCO3 (@0.5%) and CaSO4 (@2%)
¯
Fill 300g grains in glucose/milk bottle
¯
Plug cotton and autoclave at 22 psi. for 1.5 to 2 hrs.
¯
Inoculate growing mycelium of desired strain using laminar flow
¯
Incubate in BOD at 23+2 0C for 20-25 days
¯
Master spawn is ready

Commercial spawn preparation

Commercial spawn can be prepared in polypropylene bags (heat resistant).
Normally for half and one kg spawn the bags should be of 35 x 17.5cm and 40 x
20cm size, respectively. Polypropylene bags should have double sealing at the bottom
and after filling the grains they are plugged with the help of a PP neck and non
absorbent cotton.
Preparation of Commercial Spawn

Use polypropylene bags instead of bottle

¯
Inoculate 15-20 grains from mother spawn to polypropylene bags containing grains.
¯
Shake bags after 7-8 days
¯
Incubate at 23+20 C in incubation room
¯
Commercial spawn is ready in 20-22 days
Days required for initiation of mycelium on grain & complete colonization

Sr. No. Grain Days for initiation of Days for complete

mycelium colonization
1. Wheat 3 17
2. Sorghum 2 15
3. Bajara 2 16
4. Maize 2.3 15
5. Rye 3 15

Spawn storage and its transport

• The spawn bag after completion of growth maintained of 2-3 months.
• Earlier spawn was prepared in milk or glucose bottles, which was difficult to
transport from one place to another.
• Use polypropylene bags with microfilm windows for aeration.
• Ready spawn in polypropylene bags should be packed in well ventilated
cardboard cartons and maintained at 2-4°C in storage.
• The spawn is transported from one place to another in refrigerated vans or
during night when temperature does not rise above 32°C.
Qualities of a good spawn
• Select high yielding, early producing and better sporophore quality strain for
preparation of spawn.
• Select unbroken and good quality grain for spawn production.
• Boiling of grains should be done according to the suggested procedure to
maintain about 48-50 percent moisture in the grains.
• The pH of boiled grains should be adjusted to pH 6.5-7.5 by mixing
appropriate quantity of calcium carbonate and gypsum.
• Prepare spawn from mother culture only. Do not multiply from spawn to
spawn.
• The inoculation should be done in a double chambered closed air-tight
inoculation room or under laminar flow.
• Shake the inoculated bottles thoroughly and incubate at 24 -26 oC for the
growth of mycelium.
• Sort out and remove the contaminated bottles from spawn room regularly.
• Store the fully grown spawn at 3-5oC in cold store or refrigerator but for not
more than two months.
Cares to be taken
i. Always keep the inoculation chamber and its surroundings very clean.
ii. Switch on UV tube in the inoculation chamber for 30 minutes before
inoculation by keeping sterilized substrate, forceps, and cultures inside the
chamber.
iii. Inoculation is always done near the spirit the spirit lamp flame to avoid
contamination.
iv. The working person should swab his hands and inoculation chamber using
alcohol.
v. Spawn should grow fast in the bottles, should be silky white in color and
should never show fluffy growth.

Reference
Sharma and Kumar (2001) Spawn Production Technology
 15. CULTIVATION OF OYSTER MUSHROOM

Contents:
• Introduction
• Different species
• Nutritive value
• Cultivation Techniques
• Sterilization
• Spawning / Bag filling
• Cropping
• Harvesting
• Storage
• Packaging
• Transportation

Oyster mushroom is the third most popularly grown mushroom in the world
and ranks second in India. Oyster mushroom is a food of high quality flavour and
nutritional value and has high content of protein, low content of fat, vitamins,
minerals, and high content of fibers and carbohydrates. Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus
spp.) belongs to Class Basidiomycetes and Family ‘Pleurotaceae’. It is popularly
known as ‘dhingri’. Among the different edible mushrooms, Pleurotus sajor-caju is
one of the commonly grown species in India. (Tripathi., 2012; Shinde., 2015).
It may also grow on decaying organic matter. The common name "oyster
mushroom" comes from the white shell-like appearance of the fruiting body. The
fruiting bodies of this mushroom are distinctly shell or spatula shaped with different
shades of white, cream, grey, yellow, pink or light brown depending upon the species.
In India some comercially cultivated and most well known species of oyster
mushroom are species are Pleurotus. sajor-kaju, P.eous, P.flourida.. P.flabellatus,
P.levis, P.ostreatus, P.eryngii etc., recognized as an excellent mushroom. (Tripathi.,
2012; Shinde., 2015).
Mushroom farming in India is becoming successful and also popularized day
by day because of its very low input, which can bring a significant change in rural
economy. The climatic conditions of the region have been found to be ideal for such
an attempt. Research and field experiments on production and marketing of several
varieties of mushrooms have proved its significant potentiality as a major source of
income for rural people. It can be cultivated within a wide range of temperatures on
different natural resources and agricultural wastes. (Jadhav, 2015; Shinde., 2015).
For the successful cultivation of oyster mushroom on a small scale or
commercial scale, one of the most important requirements is the seed of that species /
variety. Spawn -a pure culture of the mycelium grown on a special medium is the
mushroom seed. The production of spawn is done by professionals in the laboratory
under controlled conditions or temperature, light and humidity. Spawn can be
produced either by germinating basidiospores or by culturing small pieces of
vegetative mycelium of a mushroom on a suitable substrate. (Tripathi., 2012;
Jadhav, 2015; Shinde., 2015).
The success of mushroom cultivation and its yield depends on large extent on
the purity and quality of the spawn used. Like all other crops, mushroom cultivation
(from spawn preparation to harvesting) is also affected adversely by a large number of
biotic and abiotic agents/ factors.
Among the biotic agents, fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, insects and mites
cause damage to mushrooms directly or indirectly. A number of harmful fungi are
encountered in compost and casing soil during the cultivation of white button
mushroom. Many of these act as competitor moulds thereby adversely affecting
spawn run whereas others attack the fruit bodies at various stages of crop growth
producing distinct disease symptoms (Tripathi., 2012; Shinde., 2015).
Careful handling of any molds, particulary those of the genus Aspergillus,
should be a primary responsibility of all managers and workers in mushroom farms.
For avoiding this type of contaminants, management of contaminants is necessary.
Management of contaminants in vitro can be carried out by two ways, by using
chemicals (different fungicides viz., carbendazim and mancozeb, at different
concentration can be used while in the case of botanicals (extract of neem
(Azadirachta indica), garlic (Allium sativum), datura (Datura stramonium), ginger
(Zingiber officinalis), turmeric (Curcuma longa), tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) from the
plant parts). (Tripathi., 2012; Jadhav, 2015; Shinde., 2015).
 Oyster mushroom is popularly known as ‘Dhingri’ mushroom. It is largest
cultivated mushroom in Maharashtra. Oyster mushroom is excellent source of protein,
carbohydrates, vitamins (vitamin D, C and B complex) amino acids, and minerals
such as iron, calcium, phosphorus potassium, selenium and dietary fiber and can boost
immune system. (Shinde and Jadhav., 2015)
The species can be grown on variety of agricultural waste materials like wheat
straw, cotton stalk and leaves, paddy straw, soybean straw etc., In India commercially
cultivated species are Pleurotus sajor-caju, P. florida, P. eous, P. ostreatus, P.
flabellatus, P. eryngii, P. levis, P. cystidiosus etc. In recent years, 25 species are
commercially cultivated in different parts of world. P. sajor-caju is the most suitable
for cultivation between temperature range 20-30°C recording the higher mushroom
yield than other species (Agrios., 2005; Tesfaw., 2015; Shinde and Jadhav., 2015;
Krishikosh., 2017)
To harvest the mushroom they should be grasped by the stalk and gently
twisted and pulled. If kept in a refrigerator, this should remain fresh for 3 to 6 days
(Krishikosh). Pin hole size, high temperature (250 C), high relative humidity (80-
90%) were optimal for oyster spawn running, cultivation and spawn production and
growth. The maximum yield were obtained during the 1 st flush of harvesting than the
2nd and 3rd flush (Tesfaw., 2015).

Introduction
 Oyster mushroom popularly known as ‘Dhingri’ mushroom.
 They lack the green matter (chlorophyll) and grow on dead and decaying organic
matter as saprophytes.
 They absorb their nutrition with the help of thread like structure (mycelium), which
penetrates into substratum.
 After mycelium has grown profusely and absorb sufficient food material it form
reproductive structure which comes out of substrates and form fruiting body,
commonly known as ‘mushroom’.
 It can be grown on variety of agricultural waste materials like wheat straw, cotton
stalk and leaves, paddy straw, soybean straw etc.

Relative humidity, aeration, temperature and contaminations are most important factors
during oyster cultivation in locally available Substrates, materials and technologies. Even
though oyster spawning grow best at 25⁰C, it is possible to cultivate at lower temperature.
Drying the substrates greatly reduce the yield hence spraying with water is mandatory. To
activate 2nd, 3rd, & 4th flush, covering the substrate with plastic is very important to make
the substrate moist generally oyster can be cultivated in locally available materials without
using sophisticated lab equipment for spawn production.
Different species of Oyster mushroom
 In recent 25 species are commercially cultivated in different parts of world.

 Research at AICRP on Mushroom, Pune center has revealed that P. sajor caju is the
most suitable for cultivation between temperature range 20-30°C recording the higher
mushroom yield than other species.

 In India commercially cultivated species are -

Pleurotus sajor-caju, P. florida, P. eous, P. ostreatus, P.flabellatus, P. eryngii, P. levis, P.
kcystidiosus etc.

 Pleurotus sajor- caju :

1. The fruit of this variety is grey in colour
2. It grow successfully at temperature 20-30 0 C
and humidity 80-90 %
3 It is adaptable to variation in
temperature and pressure.

Pleurotus sajor- caju

 Pleurotus eous :
1. The fruit of this variety is pink in colour
2. It grow at temperature 20-24 0 C humidity 60-90 %
3. It is less tasty than P. sajor- caju
4. The fruits is grown in a bunch.

Pleurotus eous

 Pleurotus florida :

1. The fruit of this variety is white in colour

2. The fruits on the bed grown in bunch like
3. The fruits are larger
4. If the harvesting is late then it will turn into
soft and black colour.
Pleurotus florida
Growing condition:
Optimum temperature - 25 °C
Relative Humidity - 85 %
Adequate cross ventilation and defused sunlight is necessary for spawn run and cropping
Cultivation technique:
1. Isolation and preparation of mother culture
2. Preparation and procurement of spawn
3. Substrate preparation
4. Spawning of substrate
 5. Crop management
Advantages of Oyster Mushroom Production :
1. It grows on wide range of agricultural wastes.
2. It can in wide range of temperatures (15°C to 35°C).
3. Mushroom production from substrates is high.
4. It is less prone to diseases and competitor mould than other mushroom.
5. Most suitable for rural areas and create self employment to people.
6. Faster growth rate and easy to cropping.
7. Low cost of production.

Step 1-Materials
Straw
Step 2:
Filled the gunny bags, water, soak straw & drain.

Step 3: Sterilization
1. Hot water treatment : Straw is soaked in hot water at 80℃ for 1 hour and after
removed from hot water, excess water is drained off.

2. Autoclaving : The moist straw can be sterilized in autoclave at 121.6 ⁰C temp. & 15
Lbs pressure for 20 minutes.
3. Chemical treatment: The straw after chopping soaked in water for 16 to 18 hr by
adding Carbendazim @ 7.5g + Formalin 125 ml per 100ml of water.

Step 4:
• After Sterilization, 5 to 6 kg of wet sterilized straw having 60% moisture is filled
into polythene bag of 35 x 55 cm size (100-150 mu).
• While filling the straw, spawn is added into layers of 5 to 8cm and press gently.
• 200 gm spawn is sufficient for 10 kg of wet straw.

The bags is tied and 20-30 pin holes are made all over the surface of bag.
• It is then put on the racks and incubates for 15-20 days.

Cropping –

Beds is taken out from the bag and watered with spray pump once/twice a day. Humidity
of 80 to 90% is maintained in growing room. Pinheads will start appearing within 2 to 3
days & attain full growth within 4 to 5 days after removal of polythene bags.
Steps 5: Harvesting:
All mushrooms on the beds are harvested by twisting with hands at a time and packed
in perforated polythene bagsAfter harvesting the mushroom, little outer portion of the bed
is scrapped and beds are again watered regularly for second flush.
To activate 2, 3, and 4 flush, covering the substrate with polythene bag is very
important. Three of mushroom are harvested at an interval of 8 to 10 days.. An average
yield of 70% of the dry weight of substrate can be obtained from three flushes within 30
days. (Tesfaw et.al 2015)

Step 6: Storage:
The fresh mushroom can be stored under refrigeration for 4 to 5 days or can be easily
dried by using tray drier or keeping in bright sunlight for 2 to 3 days.
From 1 kg fresh mushroom100 gm dried mushrooms are obtained. The dried
mushroom can preserved for 4 to 6 months.

Step 7: Marketing:
 There is demand for mushroom from departmental stores, bakeries , hotels, and
catering agencies in big metropolitan cities.
 It has also got export potential in developed countries like America, Japan, Canada
etc.

Flow chart of Oyster mushroom cultivation

Chop the wheat straw in small pieces 2-3 cm

↓
Soak in cold water 3.10hrs
 ↓
Drain out excess water
↓
Sterilization
↓
Chemical treatment: Solution of formalin (125ml)+ Bavistin (7.5gm) for 18hrs in 100 lit.
of water
↓
Disinfect polythene bags in 5% formalin
↓
Make a layer of straw 2-3cm
↓
Spread the spawn
↓
Fill the bed and make 3-4 layers
↓
Tie the neck of the bag tightly with thread
↓
Make 30-40 pinholes on bed surface
↓
Keep bags in incubation room
↓
Spawn run is complete in 15-20 days
↓
Cut open the bags and stack it in well ventilated room
↓
Water 2 -3 times in a day
↓
Mushroom pinheads in 3-5 days
↓
After 1 week harvest the mushroom with a clean knife

Plant protection
Green mould (Trichoderma spp, Aspergillus spp, Mucur spp.): @ 2% formalin solution
Insect infestation - Malathion or Dichlorovos 75% EC @ 0.02%

Mushroom Products
1.Mushroom paneer 2.Noodles 3.Bhurji 4.Soup 5.Pizza 6.Biryani 7.Pakoda 8.Samosa
9.Papad 10.Pickles 11.Biscuits
Conclusion:
Relative humidity, aeration, temperature and contaminations are most
important factors during oyster cultivation in locally available substrates, materials
and technologies. Even though oyster spawning grow best at 25⁰C, it is also possible
to cultivate at lower temperature. Drying the substrates greatly reduce the yield hence
spraying with water is mandatory. To activate 2 nd, 3rd, & 4th flush, covering the
substrate with plastic is very important to make the substrate moist generally oyster
can be cultivated in locally available materials without using sophisticated lab
equipment for spawn production.
Mushroom cultivation is considered as an alternative source of income to
uplift the living standards of poor farmers and also to add high quality protein in their
daily diets to eradicate malnutrition problems. Pleurotus spp. (oyster mushroom) can
easily be grown by the rural women with minimum efforts. The steps involved in
production and technology of oyster mushrooms is introduction, different species,
nutritive value, cultivation techniques, sterilization, spawning, cropping, harvesting,
storage, and packaging transportation. Research at AICRP on mushroom, Pune, has
revealed that P.sajor-caju is the most suitable cultivation.

Literature Cited:
Agrios, G. N. (2005). Plant Pathology (5th Edition). Academic Press, New York.
Gregori, A., Svagelj, M. and Pohleven, J. (2007). Cultivation techniques and medicinal
properties of Pleurotus spp.
Jadhav, A. C. (2015). Production and cultivation of the oyster mushroom. Article of
AICRP on mushroom, Pune. (MS).
Krishikosh Database (2017). ELP on Mushroom technology.
Shinde, B. D. and Jadhav, A. C. (2015). Cultivation of oyster mushroom.AICRP on
mushroom, Pune.
Shinde, D .B. (2015). Oyster mushroom cultivation.
Suman and Sharma. Mushroom cultivation and uses. www.mushroominfo.com.
Tesfaw, A. (2015). Optimization of oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) mushroom
cultivation using locally available substrates and materials. J. of Applied
Bio. and Biotech. 3(01)15-20.
Tripathi, D .P. (2012). Mushroom cultivation.
 16. Cultivation of White button mushroom
White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) can be grown on variety of
agricultural waste materials like wheat straw, cotton stalk and leaves, paddy straw,
soybean straw etc.In India cultivated mushroom are Agaricus bisporus, A. bitorquis,
A. compestris etc.In recent 14 species are commercially cultivated in different parts of
world. Among the species A.bisporus is the most suitable for cultivation between
temperature ranges 15-200 C. About 32% of total world production is of button
mushroom. White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) are exlent source of protein,
carbohydrates, vitamins (vitamin D, C and B complex) amino acids, and minerals
such as iron, calcium, phosphorus potassium, selenium and dietary fiber and can boost
immune system (Sharma and Vaidya., 2011).
Mushroom cultivation is practiced both rural and urban areas. For cultivation
require maintain condition by managing the air circulation with the help of a blower.
FYM is the most commonly used casing material applied in different combination
with soil. The work schedule for cultivation of button mushroom are compost making
by adopting correct method, pasteurization of compost, collecting the quality spawn,
spawning, casing the beds on spawning and harvesting. There are two method of
composting viz., short method and long method, in that short method is most
commonly followed because of less time required for composting (Gautam and
Kamal., 2012; Sagar et al., 2014; Sharma and Vaidya., 2011).
Conclusion
The conclusion of presentation is summarized below:
 Cultivation of white button mushroom is very expensive so not adopted in
many part of the country.
 Maintenance of the temperature is very difficult for the cultivation.
 More time require for cultivation.

Literature Cited
Gautam Y. and Kamal, S. (2012). Directorate of mushroom Research (ICAR).
Chambaghat, Solan (HP).
Manual of Mushroom Production.
Sagar, M.P., Ahlawat, O.P. and vijay B. (2014). Documentation of indigenous
knowledge opn mushroom cultivation. Indian J of Extn edu. 50(1&2):49-50.
Sharma, S. and Vaidya, D. (2011). White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus):
composition, nutritive values shelf life extension and value addition. Int. J.
Fd.Fer.Technol. 1(2): 185-199.
 17. CULTIVATION OF PADDY STRAW MUSHROOM
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Life Cycle and Breeding
3. Cultivation Technology
a. Conventional Method
b. Improved Cage Method
c. Outdoor Method
d. Indoor Method
e. Circular Method
f. Indigenous Chinese Method
4. Harvesting and Processing
5. Profit analysis.
6. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Paddy straw mushrooms (Volvariella volvacea), are known for their delicacy
and nutritional values. This mushroom prefers tropical and sub-tropical climates, so it
has great potential in a country like India, where diverse climatic conditions prevail.
The fast growing nature, easy cultivation technology, high temperature requirement
for its cultivation makes it a good choice for adoption in round the year cultivation of
mushrooms and great acceptability at consumers’ level further make this mushroom
an important species among the cultivated edible mushrooms.
Mushroom farming in India is becoming successful and also popularized day
by day because of its very low input, which can bring a significant change in rural
economy. The climatic conditions of the region have been found to be ideal for such
an attempt.
Paddy straw mushrooms are commonly grown on paddy straw and cotton
waste, which are available in abundance and at a very low cost in the country. The
adoption of this mushroom will bring the well needed diversification. It contains good
amount of protein, crude fibres, ash, all make it a healthy diet along with superior
composition of various elements and essential amino acids will provide the nutritional
food at a cheaper rate than many other foods of similar nature. (Ahlawat and
Tewari., 2007; Kaushik and Kumar., 2018).

This presentation contains the biology, life cycle, nutritive value of paddy
straw mushroom, cultivation methods, harvesting / processing and profit analysis. I
would like to encourage the farmers to adopt this mushroom for getting the better
revenue out of the agro waste available at their door-step.

Introduction
 Paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea), commonly known as the straw
mushroom, or the Chinese mushroom, belongs to the family Pluteaceae of the
Basidiomycetes (Singer, 1961).
 It is an edible mushroom of tropics and subtropics, and first cultivated in China in
1822. Initially this mushroom was known as “Nanhua mushroom” after the name of
Nanhua Temple in Northern Guangdong Province in China.
 Paddy straw mushroom was first cultivated in India during 1940 at Coimbatore,
however, its systematic cultivation was first attempted in 1943.
  Paddy straw mushroom is also known as “warm mushroom” as it grows at relatively
high temperature.
 It is a fast growing mushroom and under favourable growing conditions total crop
cycle is completed with in 4-5 weeks time.
 This mushroom can use wide range of cellulosic materials and the C: N ratio needed
is 40 to 60, quite high in comparison to other cultivated mushrooms.
 It can be grown easily on uncomposted substrates such as paddy straw and cotton
waste .
 Presently this mushroom is more popular in coastal states like Orissa, Andhra
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal.

LIFE CYCLE AND BREEDING:

• In contrast to green plants, most mushroom species are haploid, and diploid phase is
normally transient and restricted to the basidium.
• Paddy straw mushroom has distinction from other mushrooms. Being homothallic
species, the individual uninucleate haploid self fertile spores germinate to produce
mycelia and completes the life cycle without the need of a mating type factor.
• Clamp connections are entirely absent in Volvariella spp. The hyphal cells are
multinucleate, and basidiospore receives only one nucleus each following meiosis.

BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The fruiting body of the paddy straw mushroom is divided into six different
developmental stages-
1. Pinhead stage
2. Tiny button Stage
3. Button Stage
4. Egg Stage
5. Elongation and
6. Mature stage.

Each has its own morphology and anatomy.

1. Pinhead stage:
The pinhead stage is of the size of a pinhead in which the veil is spotlessly
white. In vertical section, the pileus and stipe are not visible. The whole structure is a
knot of hyphal cells.
2. Tiny button:
In a young tiny button, only the top the veil is brown, while the rest is white. It
is round in shape and if a vertical cut is made through the button, the lamellae are seen
as a narrow band on the lower surface of pileus.
3. Button stage:
This stage of paddy straw in the market at a premium price. Inside the veil
close pileus exists. Stipe is not visible but in longitudinal section of mushroom it is
visible.
Egg stage: This stage also fetches premium price in the market, at this stage, the
pileus is pushed out of the veil and the veil remains as volva. The stipe is again not
visible at this stage. The size of the pileus remains very small upto this stage.
5. Elongation stage:
The pileus remains close while the stipe attains the maximum length.
6. Mature stage:
At mature stage, the structure is divided into three regions: (i) the pileus or
cap, (ii) stipe or stalk and (iii) the volva or cup. The pileus is connected in the centre
with stipe and is of usually 6 to 12 cm in diameter

NUTRITIVE VALUE
The straw mushroom is known to be rich in minerals such as potassium, sodium and
phosphorus. The levels of K, Ca and Mg remain almost same at different
developmental stages except Na & P which drop at elongation and at mature stages.
The contents of minor elements, namely Cu, Zn and Fe do not vary much at different
stages of development.
Amino acid content in paddy straw mushroom
At all stages, lysine is the most abundant essential amino acid and glutamic acid and
aspartic acid are the most abundant nonessential amino acids. Tryptophan and
methionine are lowest among essential amino acids. The level of phenylalanine
increases nearly one fold at elongation stage, while lysine decreases to about half of
its value at the button stage.

Mushroom Cultivation Technology

1. Conventional Method
2. Improved Cage Method
3. Outdoor Method
4. Indoor Method
5. Circular Method
6. Indigenous Chinese Method
Conventional method: Procedure

• Making bed by placing 4 bundles side by side and another four bundles
similarly but from the opposite side, forming one layer of eight bundles. The
open ends of bundles from opposite sides should overlap in the middle.
 Fig. Conventional method of mushroom cultivation

B) IMPROVED CAGE CULTIVATION

Materials Required:
1. Paddy straw 60 bundles/Cage
2. Spawn bottle 2/Cage
3. Wooden cage.
4. Drum (100 litre capacity)
5. Polythene sheet (4 meters)
6. Binding thread (3 meters)
7. Dithane 1 Pkt. (200 gm)
8. Malathion 1 bottle (250 ml)
9. Dettol/Formalin 1 bottle (1/2 litre)
10. Hand chopper
 Arrange ten bundles uniformly in the cage as the bottom layer and put some
spawn grains over and inside the bundles . Put a second layer of ten bundles over the
first. Repeat this till six layers of bundles are achieved or till filling of the cage.
Cage method of paddy straw mushroom cultivation.
Outdoor Method: Procedure
 Out door cultivation of paddy straw mushroom under shade

HARVESTING
• The straw mushroom is harvested at button and egg stages.
• For harvesting of straw mushroom in good condition it has to be harvested
twice or thrice in a day (morning, noon & afternoon).
• This mushroom usually takes 9-10 days from spawning to first harvest of crop
and the first flush normally lasts for 3 days, which constitutes about 70 to 90%
of the expected mushroom yield.
• The next flush yields less mushroom than the first flush. The second flush
adds only 10 to 30% of the total crop.

PROCESSING
• Straw mushroom is more perishable than other edible mushrooms and can not
be stored at 400C as it undergoes autolysis at this temperature.
• The loss of moisture in unpacked mushroom is 40-50%, while it can be
reduced to 10% on packaging in perforated polythene begs.
Freeze Drying:
Freshly picked mushrooms are to be frozen at 200C then freeze dried. The
finished produce on rehydration used to be better than air-dried product. On
reconstitution it becomes almost indistinguishable in appearance from the fresh ones.
Air Drying:
Sun drying is very common in straw mushroom. The mushrooms are cut
longitudinally before drying.
• Drying by hot air is better than sun drying because mushroom retains better
flavour and colour. Drying takes place in 24 hours at 300c.
• Blanching of mushrooms for 3-4 minutes in hot water or 4-5 minutes in steam
helps in retaining better colour of the dried product during storage
Profit Analysis
• Paddy straw mushroom has a production cycle of only 15 days i.e., farmers
can get their return within 15 days.
• Cost per bed is about 60- 70 rupees (INR) and Yield from one bed is appx.1
kg to 1.5 kg i.e., about Rs. 200/- return as per market price of mushroom.
• So, farmers can get net profit of 130/- or at least Rs. 100/- profit per bed
within 15 days. (Kaushik and kumar 2018)

Conclusion:
 Easiest way of agro-waste utilization in the shortest possible duration with an
additional advantage of producing a quality food.
 The additional advantage with paddy straw mushroom is its shorter life cycle, fast
growth, simple cultivation technique.
 However, much more research work is needed to be done for developing suitable
processing technology like of the button and other commercially grown mushroom.

Literature cited:
Ahlawat, O. P. and Tewari, R. P. (2007). Cultivation of paddy straw mushroom
(Volvariella volvacea), Technical bulletin. NRC for Mushroom- Solan
(HP).1-34
Kaushik, S. and Kumar, S. (2018). Paddy straw mushroom a natural scavengers who
help in malnutrition and environment protection. Inter. J. Microbiol. Res.
10(5):1183-1185.
 18. Production technology of Special Mushroom

SPECIAL MUSHROOMS
Only Oyster and button mushrooms are popular in India than the other
mushrooms for cultivation and production. But, other Mushrooms also delicious and
has great market. India has different climatic conditions and hence there is scope for
cultivation of special type mushrooms like Milky mushroom (Calocybe indica),
Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes), Winter mushroom (Flammulina velutipes),
Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum), Black ear mushroom (Auricularia
polytricha), Pink oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eous). Result of study concluded that
special mushrooms cannot require any special efforts. Special mushrooms also
contain medicinal properties like anticancer, antidiabatic, etc. Hence, farmers should
take its cultivation also and it will helpful for raising their economic condition. Its
production technology is simple as like as Oyster mushroom. (Agrios., 2005;
Sharma, and Kumar 2012a; Sharma, and Kumar., 2012b).
People are not aware about the special mushrooms though, it has a
great market and medicinal values. Special mushroom cultivation is not only
medicinal importance for consumer but also economic for its cultivation to the farmer.
Special mushroom with its scientificfix name is given below

Sr. No. Name of Special Mushroom Scientific Name

1. Milky Mushroom Calocybe indica
2. Shiitake Mushroom Lentinula edodes
3. Winter Mushroom Flammulina velutipes
4. Reishi Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum
5. Black Ear Mushroom Auricularia polytricha
6. Pink Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus eous
a. CULTIVATION OF MILKY MUSHROOM
Materials required:
Substrate (Wheat straw, Paddy straw, etc), Spawns, Autoclave, Polypropylene bags ( 35x55
cm ), Needle, Racks, Hand pump and Chemicals (Formaldehyde, Streptomycin,
Carbendazim).

INTRODUCTION
i) Scientific Name: Calocybe indica.
ii) It is robust, fleshy, milky white, umbrella like mushroom.
iii) Suitable for hot and humid climate.
iv) Suitable temperature: 25-35 0c.
v) It can be cultivated throughout the year.
vi) It was reported for the 1st time in India by Purkayastha and Chandra (1974).
vii) Name is derived from ancient Greek term “Kalos” meaning “Pretty” and “Head”.

CHARACTERISTICS:
1. White in color
2. Gills and stalks are also white
3. Long, thick fibrous stalk

4. High temperature species (30-35 0 C)

5. Excellent shelf life and no browning

6 Higher fibre content

FLOW CHART OF MILKY MUSHROOM PRODUCTION

Chopped paddy straw (3-5 cm)

↓
Soaked in cold water (4-5 hr)
↓
Drain out excess water
↓
Sterilization of substrate: Hot water treatment (3-4 hr) or chemical treatment with
Carbendazim 7.5 g + formalin 125 ml per 100 lit. water for 18 hr
↓
Drain off excess water
↓
Drying at 60-70% moist level
↓
Prepared bed (Spawning)
↓
Pining the beds
↓
Incubated bed for 12-15 days
↓
Removal of polythene bags and apply casing
↓
 Beds are shifted to cropping room
↓
Regularly sprayed water (maintain 50-60%
Moisture level)
↓
Pin heads appear 8-10 days after casing
↓
Harvesting after 3-5 days
↓
Drying and Packing

(www.nrcmushroom.org)

b. CULTIVATION OF SHIITAKE MUSHROOM

IMPORTANCE
Lentinan (a cell wall constituent extracted from the fruiting bodies of shiitake) is an
immuno-modulating agent which may be useful both as a general rejuvenative for older
persons as well as prophylactically to protect healthy, physically active young people from
overwork and exhaustion.

INTRODUCTION
i) Scientific Name – Lentinula edodes.
ii) Also called ‘Black forest mushroom‘or ‘Log mushroom’.
iii) It is most important culinary medicinal mushroom which ranks at 2nd number of total
mushroom production in the world only next to button mushroom.
iv) It is prized mushroom with a delicious taste and texture.

CHARACTERISTICS:
1. Heat loving
2. Fruit bodies are numerous, medium sized (7-9
cm in diameter)
3. Fruit bodies are thinly fleshed, pale shaded and
scarcely scaled
4. They are darker; more scaled and produce
heavier fruit bodies.

FLOW CHART OF SHIITAKE MUSHROOM PRODUCTION

Mixture of hard wood, sawdust, wood chips, rice bran and calcium sulphate
↓
Fill 1 kg wet substrate (65 % moisture) to polypropylene bags
↓
Plug bags with non-absorbent cotton
↓
Sterilize the substrate (121 0C, 15 lbs pressure for 15-20 minutes in autoclave)
↓
Cool the bags to room temperature
 ↓
Spawning (aseptically @ 5% of wet substrate)
↓
Spawn running (22-26 0C, 60-70 days)
↓
Cold water shock treatment (10-15 0C water for 6-8 hours)
↓
Fructification (22-26 0C, 80-85% RH, light, cross ventilation)
↓
Sold as fresh or dry mushroom
(Sharma and Kumar, 2012)

c.WINTER MUSHROOM
INTRODUCTION
i) Scientific Name: Flammulina velutipes.
ii) It grows at very low temperature in nature; hence its name is winter mushroom.
iii) During the growth it often freezes and continues to grow when it gets warmer.
iv) It is the popular food in the Far East, especially in China.
v) It ranks 6th in terms of total world mushroom production.

CHARACTERISTICS
1. Cup shaped,
ear like appearance.
2. Reddish – brown colour.
3. Rubbery to gelatinous texture.
4. Surface usually includes
minutely fine hairs.

Flow chart of winter mushroom production: (Sharma and Kumar, 2012)

Substrate
↓
Sawdust + Wheat / Rice bran
↓
Wetting 65%
↓
Pasteurization 15 p.s.i. for 1 ½ hr
↓
Spawning @ 4% dry wt. basis
Wheat grain based spawn
↓
Incubation
(22-25 0C, high CO2
And dark)
↓
Pinning
(10-14 0c, 85% RH, light 800 lux)
 ↓
Maturation
(3-5 0C, RH 80% )
↓
Harvesting
↓
Marketing / Sun drying
↓
Packing

d.CULTIVATION OF REISHI MUSHROOM

INTRODUCTION
i) Scientific Name: Ganoderma lucidum.
ii) Grow well in pH : 5.5
iii) Reishi mushroom is pharmacologically as well as commercially the most
important medicinal mushroom in world with current global trade of about 2
billion dollars.
iv) Trade in India has crossed Rs. 100 cores annually through imports from
Malaysia and China.

CHARACTERISTICS
1. Kidney or fan shaped.
2. Reddish with a wet,
lacquered appearance when young.
3. Shiny, reddish cap.
4. As they age the flesh becomes
tougher and spores drop.
Air currents often blow these
spores to the top of the
mushroom, dulling its shiny cap.
5. The newest growth often
shows up as a whitish edge.

FLOW CHART OF REISHI MUSHROOM PRODUCTION

Mixture of wet sawdust and rice bran

↓
Fill 1 kg wet substrate (65% moisture) to polypropylene bags
↓
Plug with non-absorbent cotton
↓
0
Sterilization of the substrate (121 C, 15 lbs pressure for 15 minutes in autoclave)
↓
Cool the bags to room temperature
↓
Spawning (Aseptically, @ 5% of wet substrate)
↓
 Spawn running in dark room (28-30 0 C, 25-35 days)
↓
Open the bags and shift to cropping room (28-35 0 C, 80-85% RH, light, cross ventilation)
↓
Pinhead initiation (10-15 days after opening bags)
↓
Fruit body expansion (kidney shaped, reddish to brown in colour, 15-20 days )
↓
Harvesting (when the white colour of the growing edge just disappear)
↓
Sold in various forms of dry mushroom, mushroom powder and products
(https://iihr.res.in)

e.CULTIVATION OF BLACK EAR MUSHROOM

INTRODUCTION
i) Scientific Name: Auricularia polytricha.
ii) Also called ‘Black jelly’.
iii) Temperature: 25-30 0C.
iv) pH : 6.5
v) It is popular in NEH (North Eastern Hill) regions of India.
vi) Presently, the cultivation of black ear mushroom has become profitable
venture in some of the Asian countries. Thailand is a major importer of this
mushroom for local use and 80% of the dried produce of Taiwan is exported to
Hong Kong, Japan, USA.
viii) Cultivation of this mushroom is considered to be recent in India.
CHARACTERISTICS
1. Darker, thicker
and long haired.
2. This mushroom has
a special quality of retaining
its characteristics crispness
on cooking.

FLOW CHART OF BLACK EAR MUSHROOM PRODUCTION

Wheat straw
↓
Soak for 16-18 hours in cold water
↓
Drain out excess water
↓
Mix 5% wheat bran
↓
Fill 2 kg of polypropylene bag
 ↓
0
Autoclave (121 C ,15 lbs pressure for 15 min.)
↓
Cool at room temperature
↓
Spawning @ 2%
↓
Spawn running ( 25-26 0 C for 20-25 days )
↓
Give cross cut to give slits and hang the bags for fruiting at 25-26 0 C
↓
Spray water twice on bags and maintain high relative humidity 85-90 %
↓
Give 1-2 hours diffused light and aeration also
↓
Emergence of fruit bodies in 10-12 days
↓
Mature for harvesting in next 4-5 days
↓
Sun drying
↓
Selling
(www.nrcmushroom.org)
Note: After 3-4 flushes of harvesting of these, fresh mushroom yield obtained may be
1-1.4 kg per kg dry straw

f.CULTIVATION OF PINK OYSTER MUSHROOM

Scientific Name: Pleurotus eous

CHARACTERISTICS
1. Pink in colour.
2. Caps may be scaly,
rubbbery or smooth.
3. Suitable for summer
season.

FLOW CHART OF PINK OYSTER MUSHROOM PRODUCTION

Sustrate (viz. paddy straw, sugarcane bagasse, coir pith, sorghum straw, ragi straw and mixed
bed )
↓
Selected substrate chopped into 5 cm long
↓
Soaked in clean tap water for 12 hours
↓
 Sterilization (121 0C, 15 lbs pressure for 15 minutes)
↓
Spawning
↓
Pinning
↓
Spawn running (80-90% RH for 12-14 days )
↓
Primordium initiation observed on 17-22 at days after spawning
↓
Harvesting after 3-4 days after primordium initiation
↓
Drying
↓
Selling
(https://www.researchgate.net)

REFERENCES

Sharma, V. P. and Kumar, S. (2012). Cultivation of shiitake mushroom, Directorate of

Mushroom Research, Solan (HP). India.
Sharma, V. P. and Kumar, S. (2012). Cultivation of Winter mushroom, Directorate of
Mushroom Research, Solan,(HP). India.
www.nrcmushroom.org
www.kisansuvidha.com
https://iihr.res.in
https://www.researchgate.net
Krishikosh.
 19. PESTS OF MUSHROOM

The demand of growing mushroom is increasing day by day, with an

increasing awareness of people regarding its palatability and high food value.
Mushroom growers have typically thought of nematodes as being harmful to the crop.
In mushroom production the principle pests are flies and nematode. Management of
the pest of mushroom is important to minimize the losses in the yield. Some important
pests of mushroom are sciarid fly, phorid fly, cecid fly and nematode. Commercial
mushrooms fly pest includes, three Diptera families: Sciaridae, Phoridae and
Cecidomyiidae.
The pests of mushroom can be managed by use of Prophylactic measures viz.,
Strict hygiene and sanitation, disinfection of compost yard @ 4% formalin 24 hours
before compost preparation, disinfection of all the instruments, walls, floors, galleries
with 4% formalin, Proper pasteurization of compost and casing material, use of clean
irrigation water and fly proof rooms; biological control viz., Beneficial fungus for
control of nematode population viz., Arthrobotrys robusta, Arthrobotrys oligospora
etc. And Use of plant products incorporation of oil cakes likes neem (Azadirachta
indica), Karanj (Pongamia pinnata), coconut (Cocos nucifera), castor (Ricinus
communis), and groundnut (Arachis hypogea) in compost before spawning has
been found to reduce nematode population.
Nematode is associated with commercial mushroom yield loss. There is
inconsistency as to the correlation of nematode population & mushroom yield
reductions. Nevertheless, all commercial mushroom operations attempt to minimize
the pest of mushroom.

Conclusion:
There is a need to exploit the use of some plant products / extracts which
have insecticidal and nematicidal properties at the same time are safe for
mushroom consumption.
 DISEASES OF MUSHROOM

Oyster mushroom is the third most popularly grown mushroom in the world
and ranks second in India. Among the different edible mushrooms, Pleurotus
sajor-caju is one of the commonly grown species in India. Mushroom is a food of
high quality flavour and nutritional value and has high content of protein, low
content of fat, vitamins, minerals, and high content of fibers and carbohydrates.
Mushroom is also affected by various diseases caused by fungal and bacterial
agents. For the successful cultivation of mushroom, a good quality spawn is
needed but few fungal and bacterial agents infect mushroom spawn and reduce the
spawn quality. Among the fungal agents Trichoderma harzianum, Aspergillus
niger, and Aspergillus flavus are major spawn infecting pathogens. sorghum grain
spawn was best for the production of the good quality spawn and took less days
for complete colonization of grain. There was subsequent reduction in weight of
grain spawn after colonization of mushroom mycelium and highest reduction was
found in sorghum grain followed by maize, wheat and bajra.

`
Eg: Ink caps, Olive moulds, Black moulds.
(Fletcher and Gaze, 2008)

DISEASES OF MUSHROOM
1. Fungal disease
2. Bacterial disease
3. Viral disease

FUNGAL DISEASE
Dry bubble 10. False truffle

2. Wet bubble 11. White plaster mould

3. Cob web disease 12. Brown plaster moulds
4. Green moulds 13. Yellow mould
5. Weed moulds
6. Inky caps
7. Pink mould
8. Cinnamon mould
9. Lipstick mould

DRY BUBBLE:
CN : Verticillium disease, Brown spot
C.O : Verticillium fungicola
SYMPTOMS
 Muddy brown , often sunken spots on the cap of the mushroom.

 Greyish white mouldy growth seen on pileus.

 Later stage mushroom become dry and leathery.
EPIDEMIOLOGY:
1. Infection spread by Sciarid flies, mites, water splashes .
2. High humidity and temperature above 16 0c
MANAGEMENT:
1 .Pick and destroy infected mushroom.
2. Use clean equipment.
3. Bubble can destroy with salt.
4. Control local infection by spraying with 2% formalin.
• WET BUBBLE:
CN: white mould
C.O : Mycogone perniciosa
SYMPTOMS
1. Malformed mushroom with swollen stripe.
2. Mushroom become brown colour.
3. Bubble may be large as grape fruit.

4. It is also a parasite of wild mushroom.

5. Undifferentiated tissue becomes necrotic and wet.
EPIDEMIOLOGY:
1. The infection spread through air, soil, compost.
2. The infection is favoured by high humidity (90 %) and temp 16 0c.
MANAGEMENT:
1. Good hygiene.
2. spray Dithan M-45 (0.2 %) at 7-10 days interval .

GREEN MOULD:
CN: Trichoderma blotch, Trichoderma spot.
C.O: Trichoderma viride, T. aggresivum
SYMPTOMS
A dense, pure white growth of mycelium may appear on surface. later on
mycelium turn to green colour because of heavy sporulation of casual agent which is
characteristic symptom of this disease. Thereafter, the mould creepers to surface of
casing soil and infect the new parts.
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Green mould generally appears in compost rich in carbohydrates and deficient
in nitrogen. High relative humidity and low pH in the casing soil also promotes the
development of Trichoderma spp.
MANAGEMENT:
1. Green mould can be prevented by good hygiene.

2. Cover spots is treated with salt, lime, or gypsum.

3. Treatment with zineb dust or calcium hypo -chloride ( 15%).
4. Good insect and mite control.

4. INKY CAPS:
CN: Ink weed , wild mushroom
C.O: Coprinus lagopus
SYMPTOMS:
Ink caps appear in the compost during spawn run.
They are slender, bell shapes mushrooms.
This fungus some times growns in clusters in beds and has long sturdy stem
which often reaches deep in to the compost layer.
After several days inky caps decay and form a blackish slimy mass due to auto
digestion.
EPIDEMIOLOGY:
1. The infection comes through air or casing soil or partially pasteurized.
2. Ink caps appear if the compost contains ammonia.
MANAGEMENT:
1. Use properly pasteurized compost and casing soil.
2. Avoid excessive watering.
3. Rogue out young fruit bodies.

BROWN PLASTER MOULD:

C.O : Papulospora byssina
SYMPTOMS:
1. It is first noticed as whitish mycelial growth on the exposed surface
of compost and on sides of the bag.
2. This develops further in to large dense patches gradually change
from light brown to cinnamon brown and becomes rust colour.
3. The mycelium become a granular mass of hazel colour that looks
much like fine sand .
4. EPIDEMIOLOGY:
5. 1. Primary infection comes through air-borne bulbils or compost
and casing soil.
6. 2. Its development is favoured by wet, and wrongly prepared
compost.
MANAGEMENT:
 Good hygiene.
 Composting should be carried out carefully, using sufficient gypsum.
 Large number of fungicides namely carbendazim, vitavax, captan,
thiram , copper fungicides.
FALSE TRUFFLE :
CN: Truffle disease
CO: Diehliomyces microsporus
SYMPTOMS:
The colour of the mycelium is white and turns in to a creamy yellow .
It appears as white cream coloured mycelium in compost and casing soil.
Gradually the mycelial growth become thicker and develops in to whitish, wrinkled ,
round to irregular masses, looking like a peeled walnuts.
EPIDEMIOLOGY:
1. Ascospores develop in the truffles in to 3 to 6 weeks.
2. The major sources of infection are casing soil and mycelium in wooden trays.
3. Optimum growth of the fungus has been recorded at 26-28 0C .
MANAGEMENT:
1. Young truffles must be picked and buried before the fruit bodies turn brown.
2. Initial infection can be checked by treating with formalin (2% ).

BACTERIAL DISEASES:
BACTERIAL BLOTCH:
 CN: Brown blotch,bacterial spot
 CO: Pseudomonas fluorescens ( P. tolaasii )

SYMPTOMS
 Lesions on tissue that are pale yellow intially, later it become a golden yellow
or rich chocolate brown .
 underlying tissue may appear to be water soaked and grey .
 Blotches usually appear when the mushroom are in the early stage .
 It may occur with in hours or days .
EPIDEMIOLOGY:
1. High humidity and watery conditions are favourable for disease.
2. Disease spread by splash, tools ,flies and nematodes.
MANGEMENT:
Manipulation of humidity, temperature, air velocity are significance in managing the
disease.
Spraying of chlorine solution 150 ppm.
VIRAL DISEASES :
1. BROWN CAP MUSHROOM VIRUS (ASSOCIATED WITH
MUSHROOM VIRUS X )
INTRODUCTION:
 Brown cap mushroom disease is the occurrence of ‘brown’ or ‘off white
mushroom’.
 This browning symptom has been the most prominent symptom associated
with mushroom virus x ( MVX) in recent years .
 It is associated with ‘Agaricus bisporus virus 16 ( AbV16 )’ or ‘Brown Cap
Mushroom Virus ( BCMV)’.
SYMPTOMS:
The browning symptoms may occur in only in one flush , they may be visible on the
bed before harvest.
It may consist of poor quality an off -white or cream cap colour
It as post harvest browning and premature opening.
Some times , mushroom develop a colouration , from pale cream to a deep brown
coffee colour.
SOURCES OF INFECTION :
The main source of brown cap mushroom virus is contaminated by infected
mycelium, or compost .
MANAGEMENT:
• Removal of compost and other debris prior to disinfection .
• It should hygiene.
• Debris should be removed from floors , winches.
• All equipment and machinery should be cleaned, disinfected.
(Grogan and Mills 2003)
CONCLUSION:
The cultivation of edible mushrooms can often be affected by some bacterial,
fungal, and viral diseases that rather cause dramatic production losses.
Therefore, understanding the particular symptoms and accurate management practices
are needed for efficient production of mushroom
Prevention is better than cure.
The diseases of mushroom can be effectively managed by the IPM treatments viz., all
equipment and machinery should be cleaned and disinfect, maintain growing room
and surrounding of farm in good sterile condition, be aware of the quality of walls and
ceiling, use properly pasteurized compost and casing soil, inspect mushroom beds
regularly for diseases especially prior to watering and picking, avoid excessive
watering, rogue out infected young fruit bodies and initial infection can be checked by
chemical treatment with formalin @ 2% .

References:
Tripati, D.P. Book mushroom cultivation.
Practical manual of agricultural entomology.
Singh, R. and Singh, U. C. Book modern mushroom cultivation.
Sharma and Singh (2016). Advances in crop science and technology.
REFERNCE
Fletcher, J.T. and Gaze, R. H. (2008). Fungal diseases of mushroom and their control.
A colour handbook. United Kingdom.
Ghabrial, S. A, Suzuki, N. (2009). Viruses of plant pathogenic fungi. Ann. Rev.
Phytopathol. 47: 353-384.
Krishikosh database
Sharma, S. and Vaidya, D. (2011). White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus):
composition, nutritive values shelf life extension and value addition. Int. J.
Fd.Fer.Technol. 1(2): 185-199.
Vargas, L. R. (2000). Diseases and pests research on oyster mushroom (Pleurotus
spp.) in Puerto-Rico. The international Journal of mushroom Science. 3(1):21-26.

20. RECIPES OF MUSHROOM

Mushroom is important source of food. Mushroom provides potentially
generating employment, improving economic status of growers. It is a good source for
vegetarians as provides of high quality protein, carbohydrates, vitamins (vitamin D,
C and B complex) amino acids, and minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus
potassium, selenium and dietary fiber and can boost immune system (Sharma and
Vaidya., 2011; Singh., 2017).
Mushroom possesses biologically active compounds such as antifungal, anti-
bacterial, anti-viral, anti ageing and anti-oxidant properties. It prevents cancer and
also regulate digestive system. Due to low starch content and low cholesterol, it is a
good food for diabetic and heart patient (Sharma and Vaidya., 2011; Ware., 2011).

Mushroom recipe have become delicacy in the vegetarian menu in restaurant

and other celebration like marriage and parties. From taste point of view mushroom
add to variety, flavor and texture to our daily food items. Mushroom stands well on its
own for taste and flavor and works wonderfully with other dishes. They can be used
as a like mushroom pulav, mushroom sandwich, mushroom tikka, matar mushroom,
mushroom soup, mushroom munchurian, mushroom salad, mushroom pakoda,
mushroom pickle, mushroom chocolate, mushroom ladu, mushroom papad,
mushroom biscuit etc. (Dassana., 2015).
Conclusion
Today, mushroom is important for human health and food source. Hence,
concluded that we need to spread this among the people that mushroom are not only
tasty but have lot of nutritive and medicinal values. We really need to popularize
mushroom recipe and its cooking method.

Mushroom bajji
Mushroom biryani

Mushroom Noodels Mushroom soup

 Mushroom fry Mushroom Spring Roles

Mushroom Paneer Mushroom Burji

Literature Cited
Chaugule, R. (2019). Nile, gulabi Mushroom: Chocolate, biscuit, papad, Agrowon
newspaper article. 10.
Dassana (2015). Mushroom recipes.
Sharma, S. and Vaidya, D. (2011). White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus):
composition, nutritive values shelf life extension and value addition. Int. J.
Fd.Fer.Technol. 1(2): 185-199.
Singh, R. (2017). A review on different benefits of mushroom. J. of Pharmacy and
Bio. Sci. 12(1): 107-111.
Ware, M. (2011). Reasons to eat mushroom.
 21. POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT OF MUSHROOM

Mushroom is a rich source of good quality protein, containing most of the

essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Fresh mushroom is highly perishable so
it deteriorates immediately after harvest. It develops brown colour on the surface of
the cap due to lyses of the cell and enzymatic action. Being highly perishable in
nature, the fresh mushrooms need to be processed to extend the off season availability
by adopting appropriate post harvest technology and processing into value added
products. The value added products are the need of the hour for the mushroom
growers not only to reduce the losses but also to enhance the income by value
addition to boost consumption of mushroom (Wakchaure et al., 2010).
The techniques of post harvest handling includes washing, drying, Packaging
(modified atmosphere packaging, modified humidity packaging) Storage (controlled
atmosphere storage), packing and packaging, Cooling (pre-cooling and refrigeration,
vacuum cooling, ice- cooling) preservation (steeping; radiation), canning and
transportation (Wakchaure et al., 2010).
The possible value added products can be developed either by converting
freshly harvested mushrooms into ketchup, murabba, candy, pickle, biscuit, nuggets
and ready to serve mushroom curry (Hemkar 2005; Wakchaure., 2011).
Need for preservation of mushroom
 Mushroom grows in flushes, every 8-10 days they are harvested in abundance.
 When there is good production the demand may be low and vice-versa.
 To prevent glut in the market it is necessary to preserve them.

Conclusion
 Different steps are involved in post harvest management like harvesting,
cleaning, grading, cooling, packing, transportation and marketing.
 Grading is the important for marketing.
 Among different methods, microwave and oven drying is best method of
preservation.
 Canning is most extensively used method for storage and trade of mushroom.
 Packaging has the important role in handling the product.
 Fresh mushrooms are highly perishable in nature processing is the only option
in order to utilize excess production in the season and to make it available
during the off season.
Literature cited
A.K. Hemkar (2005). Studies on development of value added products of mushroom.
Res 14(2):84-87.
Wakchaure, G. C., Shirur, M. Manikandan, K. and Rana, L. (2010). Devepoment and
evalution of oyster mushroom value added products. Mushroom Research.
19(1): 40-44.
Wakchaure, G. C. (2011). Post harvest handling of fresh mushrooms. Mushrooms:
cultivation, marketing and consumption. Research gate. 197-206.
Grading:-Grading of mushrooms is important for marketing . For example button
mushrooms are graded into Grade A, B and C . Grading is done according to size,
color and shape.

Packing:- Packing is essential to protect the mushroom during marketing. It is

generally packed in polythene bags.

Preservation of Mushroom

Steeping preservation
1. Unexhausted steeping preservation
2. Exhausted steeping Preservation
Drying
1. Sun-drying
2. Cabinet air drying
3. Dehumidified air-cabinet drying
4. Osmo -air drying
5. Freeze-drying
6. Fluidized-bed drying
7. Microwave drying
8. Radiation preservation
DRYING
Drying is the age old practice of preserving mushrooms at ambient temperatures.
With the advancement of technology, different kinds of dehydration processes have
been developed

e.g. Sun drying, mechanical drying, air drying, micro-wave oven. Among
these the microwave oven drying is the best method .

Air Drying:

Sun drying is very common in straw mushroom. The mushrooms are cut
longitudinally before drying. Drying by hot air is better than sun drying because
mushroom retains better flavour and colour. Drying takes place in 24 hours at 30 0C.
However, mushroom can also be dried with temperature beginning at 40 0C than
increasing gradually until It reaches at 450C for eight hours. Blanching of mushrooms
for 3-4 minutes in hot water or 4-5 minutes in steam helps in retaining better colour of
the dried product during storage.

Freeze Drying:

Freshly picked mushrooms are to be frozen at – 200C and then freeze dried.
The finished produce on rehydration used to be better than air-dried product
 PACKAGING

Important role in handling

Marketing and consumption of the produce and products

Protects the quality during the storage and transport
Keeping in retail and storage with the consumer.. packaging increases the
consumer confidence in the product.
If the packaging and storage is not done properly, mushrooms not only deteriorate
in their quality but also in nutritional quality due to enzymatic changes
Method of Packaging
 Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)
 Controlled Atmosphere Packaging (CAP)
 Modified Humidity Packaging (MHP)

Tray packed milky mushroom

Polythene packed mushroom

22. SPENT MUSHROOM SUBSTRATE

COMPOST & COMPOSTING

COMPOST :
Compost is the suitable substrate for the development of the mycelium of
these fleshy fungi (button mushrooms) which grow gradually and eventually develop
to the fleshy forms of the mushrooms.
As known to all of us, mushrooms are heterotrophic organisms and they lack
the ability to form organic compounds from the carbon-dioxide of the atmosphere for
their cellular growth. Thus, they fulfill their nutritional requirements by the materials
absorbed from the substrate, known as compost.
COMPOSTING :
The process of preparing the compost required for the growth and
development of these mushrooms, is called composting
PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSTING
Under natural circumstances, when mushroom spawn is inoculated into raw
substrate, the competing microorganisms may quickly gain dominance and prevent
the mushroom mycelium for development.
The Main purpose of composting is, therefore, to prepare a medium of
desirable characteristics that the growth of mushroom mycelium be promoted with the
practical exclusion of other organisms.

Fundamental principles of composting may be summarized asunder

1. After composting, certain chemical, physical and biological properties are
developed in the compost. All these properties are equally important and are
inter-independent on each other In other words, we can say that changes
brought about by composting, result in such a state that food materials are best
available to serve the nutritional needs of the mushrooms
2. The foodstuffs contained in compost, should be converted in such a form that
may be easily utilized by the mycelium of the mushrooms.
3. Toxic substances, which inhibit the growth of spawn, should not be produced
in compost
4. .The compost must have certain physical qualities, which may support aerobic
conditions, hold water without becoming waterlogged and have proper pH and
good drainage.

MATERIALS FOR COMPOST PREPARATION

Years ago, partially decomposed horse manure was used for providing
desirable nutrient medium for the growth and development of the mushroom. In
recent times, other materials are also used successfully with cereal straws forming the
major part of the bulk .The nitrogen content of straw is less than 3% and, therefore
supplemented with various organic and inorganic sources of nitrogen to bring the
nitrogen content ranging from 1.5 to 1.75% on dry weight basis.
 The ratio of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium of mushroom mycelium is 6.4:
2.4: 4.4.

Composting materials used in compost making is classified into following

categories:
Vegetable based materials:
These include cereal straws which provide cellulose, hemicelluloses and
lignin. Vegetable-based materials used are usually straw of wheat, paddy, barley, rye
oat, hay, maize stalk and vegetable plant wastes. These materials also provide
physical structure in heap which facilitates air exchange for aerobic microbes
Supplements to activate fermentation:
There are several materials which are added to the base materials in order to
prepare balanced compost. These supplements are sources of nitrogen and carbon
compounds.
Category-1:
Animal manures (horse, chicken and pig, sheep, mule, yak, goat, cow, bullock
and elephant manures)They provide 1.0 to 5.0% nitrogen. Carbohydrates are also
present. Both nitrogen and carbohydrates should be released slowly
Category-2:
Carbohydrate rich molasses, brewer's grain , malt sprouts, potato, apple and grape
wastes and wastes rumen contents from slaughter houses
Category-3: Nitrogen rich fertilizers such as urea , ammonium sulphate and
ammonium nitrate
Category-4: These include supplements to rectify mineral deficiencies. Examples are
super phosphate, potash and gypsum
Selection of composting materials for compost preparation
 The base materials and their chemical and physical characteristics particularly
their nitrogen contents should be known
 Initial total nitrogen content should be between 1.40-2.00 % of dry matter.
This may be achieved by adding animal manure and other nitrogenous
supplements like urea, brewer's grain cotton seed and bran etc.
 The material should be readily available to growers at a price competitive with
that of horse manure or wheat straw
COMMONLY USED FORMULATIONS
Several formulations have been evolved in our country and abroad. These may
be adopted at different locations. Some important formulations are as under:
LONG METHOD OF COMPOSTING (LMC)
Urea can be replaced with 100-110 Kg of poultry manure.
Synthetic compost formulae
Synthetic Compost and its Advantages
1. Synthetic compost usually produces more yield than the natural compost in
most cases because of the better aeration within the bed.
2. Horse manure compost although being cheaper, it has drawback as its quality
varies which results in inconsistent yields
 3. Natural compost if not pasteurized as per requirement, pests and diseases
become active in such natural compost . better spawn run, since the bed is
better aerated properties including texture and yielding quality.
4. Synthetic compost is uniform in quality and texture. It supports better spawn
run Synthetic compost is known to have more desirable physical properties
including texture & yielding quality
Phases of composting : There are two main phases of composting
1. The Establishment stage
2. The Maturation stage

METHODS OF COMPOSTING
(a) Long method of composting,
(b) Short method of composting
Long method of composting
Composting yard where the compost is to be made should have concrete floor,
covered roof & must be enough space to accommodate max no of stacks .it should be
disinfected with 2% formalin
Vegetable waste material-
 The straw is first wetted in a heap for 48 hours so that every portion of straw
may absorb enough water the heap is now pressed & left for 24 hours
 All other ingredients excluding gypsum & pesticides are mixed together by
sprinkling water
 After 24 hrs of mixing the ingredients ,an aerobic stack measuring 3-5 feet
having desired length should be made
 Turning is given to the compost heap so that the inner portion may come out
& vice versa for uniform fermentation
 After 28 days, the compost is checked for smell of ammonia there is no free
ammonia, compost is allowed to cool to about 250 C
Short method of composting
In this method composting period is reduced to 14 – 16 days. Compost by this
method prepared in two phases,
PHASE- 1: Outdoor composting
PHASE -2: Pasteurization.
The most effective method of pasteurization is by use of live steam and as under
Day- 1: The door of the tunnel is closed & the entire compost mass is brought to
uniform temperature slowly by introducing steam air . Temperature of 570c to 590c is
achieved and maintain it for 6 t0 8 hrs for peak heating of the compost. The steam off
&fresh air is introduced by partly opening the dampers, bringing the air temperature
below 460c to 500c
Day- 3 to 5: The temperature is maintained at 460c to 480c . For conditioning
compost, 20% aeration is also provided
Day -6: Compost is shifted to spawining room and is allowed to cool to 25 0c to 280c
before spawning. Pasteurization can also done by filling the compost in pasteurization
room
Advantages of short method of composting
Although high capital cost is involved in the preparation compost by short
method of composting, still compost prepared by this method has some distinct
advantages over long method of composting as under
1. Composting time is shortened from 28 days to 14-15 days
2. More compost per unit weight of straw is produced. Yield per unit weight of
compost is almost double.
3. Compost prepared by this method is highly selective with least chances for
diseases and pests
4. Labour requirement is less.
 23. MARKETING OF MUSHROOM
The study on “Oyster Mushroom production technology” under Experiential
Learning Programme 2018-19, conducted at Mushroom Production Farm, Department
of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Sonai. During the year 2018-2019 has
analyzed the economics on Benefit cost, Net profit, Cost of production of spawn and
mushroom, returns and break even points of mushroom production. Simple tabular
analysis benefit cost analysis and price spread have been used to draw the inference.
There exists a positive relationship between mushroom production & farm size, large
farmers have lowest cost of mushroom production has compared to small & medium
farmers due to effective farm fixed resources. The benefit cost ratio is greater then
one, which means the mushroom plant at present, is in profit.
Conclusion:
• From this we come to conclusion that the benefit cost ratio is greater then
one ,which means the mushroom plant at present in profit .
• More efforts and attention is needed to boost mushroom production as
mushroom cultivation can help to reduce poverty and strengthen livelihoods
through the generation of a fast yielding and nutritious source of food and
reliable source of income.
• The need of the hour is to develop the habit of consumption of mushroom in
households.
Literature Cited:
Tripati, D. P. Mushroom cultivation (303 -305).
Singh, R., Bishnoi, D.K. and Singh, A. (2010). Cost Benefit Analysis and Marketing
of Mushroom in Haryana. Agril. Econ. Research Review. 23: 165-171.
Sahu, A., Dubey, A. K. and Roy A (2016). Popularizing Mushroom production
Enterprise. 34:41-44.
Bose, S. (2016). Mushroom cultivation and market strategies. J. of management. 5(2):
121-136

Bacterial blotch

Among the biotic constrints of Mushroom production, bacterial blotch is

considered the most important mushroom diseases in terms of global and economic
impact. Anumber of bacterial, viral and fungal diseases were reported to reduce the
quality and quantity of mushroom products

Causal organism – Pseudomonas tolaasii

Etiology –
Epidemiology -
Management-

Symptomology:
 Symptoms of bacterial blotch mostly emerge on the cap surface of mature
mushroom diminishing fresh mushroom marketability. Initially, small, irregular,
yellow spots appear on mushroom caps. Discoloration is pale yellow or yellowish
brown to tan or light brown at the start and darkens to a golden yellow or dark brown
color. The degree of discoloration depends on timing of infection, environmental
conditions, bacterial strains, as well as the density of bacterial populations on the
caps. Darker discoloration is often seen under optimal environmental conditions when
infection occurs early in development of the pins and can rarely lead to total death of
the pins/buttons.

Epidemiology and Environmental Conditions that Promote Blotch

Disease

The epidemiology and development of bacterial blotch is affected by the

source of primary inoculum, as well as the ability of the pathogen to grow and
multiply under given environmental conditions. Primary sources of P. tolaasii in a
mushroom house may be the peat and limestone used in the casing process.

Secondary spread of P. tolaasii may be from contact with symptomless but

infected caps, by the hands, clothing, and shoes of the workers, as well as their
picking baskets, knives, and ladders (Wong and Preece 1980).

Tap water containing P. tolaasii may be an additional source of inoculum; if

used for preparation of casing or irrigating, the crop will result in an epidemic of
blotch in the first flush.

This higher moisture may favor the pathogens.

MANAGEMENT :

The major constraint in managing bacterial blotch is that the casing layer
(thought to be an important source of primary inoculum; Fig. 1) cannot be treated
with many of the commercial broad spectrum antibiotics and chemicals in the
mushroom-growing process, because some of the bacterial species present in the
casing layer (e.g., P. putida) are necessary for promoting primordia development and
growth (Fig 1; Fletcher and Gaze 2007).

Biological control.

Targeting the casing layer with the biocontrol agents is likely to result in the control
of the blotch pathogens. Among the different substrates tested as a carrier for the
antagonists

Development of an effective and durable biocontrol method requires a series of

screening assays to determine the mechanisms by which the candidate antagonists
(i.e., antibiotic, siderophore, and bacteriocin production, carrying bacteriophages, as
well as predatory activity) function. 
  Are differences in coloration or development of blotch symptoms correlated to
different species (e.g., P. tolaasii causing brown blotch vs. P. agarici causing
yellow blotch)?

 What is the relative contribution of each potential blotch-causing species in

the mushroom yield losses, and do various pathogens compete each other or
inhibit one another?

 Are there differences in the threshold populations for each pathogen on the
mushroom cap or casing layer under different microclimatic conditions to
trigger blotch symptoms?

 Which epidemiological factors influence the incidence and dispersal of blotch

pathogens?

 Do different pathogens respond differently to cap resistance to the blotch

disease and does the importance of resistance change with proceeding in flush
numbers?

 Are pathogens isolated during the first break less or more virulent than those
isolated during the second or third break?

 Do all the mushroom-associated pseudomonad species respond in the same

way to environmental conditions?

 Is there any relationship between the cap resistance to postharvest browning

and resistance to bacterial blotch?

Control of bacterial blotch will be one of many end results of the application of these
tools to mushroom production. However, the most promising area of research open to
us because of the tools currently at our disposal may be the explanation of mushroom
gene expressions via transcriptomics, exploration of the devome, and elucidation of
the role of compost/casing microbiome in mushroom development. We already
suspect that microorganisms drive nutrient availability by breaking down substrate,
thus triggering development of pins. We will now explore the role of compost, casing,
and mycelial associated microorganisms in driving development. This will provide
the information we need to not only devise management strategies for blotch without
compromising, promoting mushroom development, but should provide the
information needed to increase yields through more complete use of mushroom
substrate in later breaks.

Dry Bubble of Oyster Mushroom Caused by Verticillium fungicola. A. Marlowe,

Oceanview Mushroom Farm, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. C. P. Romaine, Assistant
Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Pennsylvania State University, University
Park 16802. Plant Dis. 66:859-860. Accepted for publication 9 March 1982.
Copyright 1982 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-66-859.

Dry bubble disease of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) was first noted in a
commercial planting in California in 1981. The disease, caused by Verticillium
fungicola, is characterized by a gross malformation and pitting of sporophores. The
pathogen also causes dry bubble of the common cultivated mushroom (Agaricus
bisporus) and several wild mushroom species.

Fruit bodies of morels (Morchella spp.) are highly prized edible mushrooms

which emerge in early spring. Many Missouri landowners and mushroom hunters are
interested in augmenting the number of emerging fruit bodies through an
understanding of the biotic and abiotic factors which condition emergence as well as
through focused habitat manipulation. Previous research in a central Missouri
woodland (i.e., Howard Co., Missouri) demonstrated morel fruiting in association
with Carya spp., Tilia americana and Ulmus Americana at a greater frequency than
predicted by host frequency on the site. Analysis of a 9 yr sequence of daily
precipitation records as well as hourly air and soil temperature records (i.e., 2001-
2009), in concert with records of fruiting seasons, summarized conditions during the
10, 20 or 30 d prior to first fruit body appearance. Of the environmental variables
examined, the air or soil temperature degree days (0 C basis) 20 or 30 d prior to first
fruiting were most consistent over the 9 yr (i.e., minimum coefficients of variation).
These metrics successfully predicted first fruiting during 2010-2012. The putative
relationship between morel emergence and accumulated temperature will be further
tested with data from the original field location as well as two locations in the region
(i.e., Boone Co., Missouri).

First Report of Trichoderma oblongisporum Causing Green Mold Disease

on Lentinula edodes (shiitake) in China
October 2014 , Volume 98 , Number  10
Pages  1,440.2 - 1,440.2
 Mushroom is highly perishable because of high moisture content
Mushroom marketing

Door to door
•Farmer to big stores, hotels
•Farmer to local market
•Distributer to farmer

Milky/ Macrocybe
Mushroom
DMR-Milky-334

Morphological features & yield

(%)
 Cap spherical white, long stipe
Cap dia. 7-8 cm
Stipe length 11-12 cm
Fruit body weight: 33-38 g
Fruit body colour: White
Yield: 74-82 kg/100 kg of dry wheat /paddy
straw

Morphological features & yield

(%)
DMR-Macrocybe-01

1. The cultural conditions : Temp =25-35oC, R.H.

% = 70-80%, Light = 8-10 hours (more than 100
lux), CO2 less than 800 ppm.
2. Av fruit body wt. 20-40 g and B.E.% 40-70%
3. The mushroom do not have the off smell
4. Mushrooms can be stored up to 10 days in
refrigerator and 3-4 days at room temperature (20-
26 oC).

The Directorate of Mushroom Research is located in Solan city of Himachal Pradesh, endeared as the
gateway of Himachal Pradesh, the mountainous wonder of Solan city is famous for its cultural splendor, numerous
old temples and seasonal vegetable crops. Solan is widely popular for its mushroom cultivation and bearing the
title of “Mushroom City of India”.
ABOUT ICAR-MUSHROOM APP
 Cultivation of Pleurotus eryngii (Kabul Dhingri) made easy

Pleurotus eryngii is an edible oyster mushroom species which is very popular

and was exported in dried form to various European countries due to its aroma and
giant size.  It is better known as Kabul Dhingri due to its natural occurrence in high
altitude regions of North West Himalayas.  It is collected from its natural habitat
and marketed as Kabul Dhingri.  Its natural growth and collection has hampered
due to ecological and political disturbances.  Earlier, people have attempted to
cultivate Pleurotus eryngii during summer but very less yields were obtained.  The
fresh tissue culture from a wild dried specimen was found very productive, high
yielding and fast growing.  Three different substrates namely - wheat straw, paddy
and maize stalks and leaves were used as base material, and supplemented with
organic nitrogen materials.  Wheat straw with deoiled soybean cake @ 5% gave
82.8% B.E. (828g fresh mushroom from 1kg dry substrate) followed by paddy
straw with deoiled soybean.  Maize stalks and leaves with cotton seed cake @ 5%
also gave 65% BE with supplementation.  Unsupplemented wheat and paddy straw
gave 40% B.E.

Pleurotus eryngii 
 Mushrooms are known for their delicacy and nutritional values but the substrate
released after mushroom crop harvest, better known as ‘Spent Mushroom Substrate’ is also
the subject of great importance. The compost/substrate, a blend of
agricultural/poultry/industrial wastes and prepared by controlled fermentation process, is first
used for mushroom cultivation and the spent substrate obtained after crop harvest possesses
all essential attributes of an organic manure which further gets enriched during its
recomposting by natural weathering or any other process. The recomposted spent mushroom
substrate has been found to be a good growing medium for majority of the vegetables and the
field crops, and has shown multifacet utilities in improving the yield and quality of the crop,
and management of the diseases, which is really encouraging for the mushroom industry. The
other utilities of spent mushroom substrate, like in vermicomposting, bioremediation and as
organic-mineral fertilizer are boon to the country’s farming system. I appreciate the efforts
and labour put in by the authors in compiling and editing the bulletin for its use at farmers’
level. I also would like to encourage the farmers to start using of spent mushroom substrate
for integrated farming and to obtain better revenue out of the agrowaste available at their door
step and to make contribution towards a clean environment.

The compost released after the harvest of one full crop of mushroom, beyond which
extension of crop becomes unremunerative is called as the ‘spent mushroom substrate’
(SMS).

Recycling of SMS
The addition of spent mushroom substrate in nutrient poor soil improves its health by
improving the texture, water holding capacity and nutrient status (Kaddous and Morgans,
1986; Maher, 1991; Beyer, 1996). However, it reduces the soil’s thermal conductance, bulk
density and water stable aggregates (>0.25 mm). Spent mushroom substrate incorporation in
soil leads to an increase in both pH as well as the organic carbon content (Kaddous and
Morgans, 1986). The experiments carried out for studying the effect of SMS on several crops
have shown that the dry matter content of plants increases with incorporation of increasing
amount of weathered or unweathered SMS in soil (Chong et al., 1987). The phosphorus and
potassium requirements of the crop plants can be fully met by incorporating 5% of SMS by
volume, while nitrogen requirement by 25% of SMS by volume (Maher, 1991).

The mixing of spent mushroom substrate in soil has shown plant growth promoting
activity in several plant species. Spent mushroom substrate not only improves soil health but
also helps in the tur f establishment which, however, depends on the rate of SMS application
in soil (Landschoot and McNitt, 1994).
 FARMERS’ INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT USES OF SMS Mushroom
growers are recycling spent mushroom substrate naturally and using it in agricultural and
horticultural crops as manure at their own. They have gained a lot of experience in it and are
sharing their knowledge within a specified locality. The data collected at NRCM, Solan (HP)
reveals that SMS is being used as manure in several crops viz. capsicum, tomato, cauliflower,
pea, potato, ginger, garlic, wheat, paddy, maize and apple (Table 6). Wide variation exists in
age of SMS applied in different crops and it ranges between 0 month (fresh) to 3 years old.
Similarly, quantity of SMS applied also varies between a minimum 4.75q ha-1 to maximum
1000 q ha-1 in field crops and 4-6 kg pl-1 in apple. Spent compost also improves the physical
and chemical structure of the soil. Mushroom growers have the observation that spent
compost considerably increases the level of soil fertility, water holding capacity, porosity and
texture on applying as manure. Both mushroom growers and researchers have noticed that the
application of SMS in soil enhances the crop yield and manages diseases in agricultural and
horticultural crops, in addition to improvement in soil physical conditions. On the basis of
empirical data and experiences gained during the process of verification and refinement of
ITKs about use of SMS as manure in crops; it can be concluded that SMS should be
decomposed for atleast 12 months either by natural weathering in pits or aerobic/anaerobic
recomposting

instead of disposing off in open on road side. Similarly, the doses of recomposted
SMS for various crops should be worked out on the basis of total nutrient (N.P.K.)
requirement of the respective crop and the nutrient status of the soil/SMS. The recomposted
SMS can be used singly as basal application or in combination with inorganic fertilizers. 2)
RESEARCHERS’ OUTCOME a) Horticulture Spent mushroom substrate makes the soil
suitable for raising vegetables (Kaddous and Morgans, 1986). Suitable treatments of SMS like
rapid salt leaching (Chong et al., 1991) and weathering in open for two to three years make
SMS more suitable for either complete or partial substitution of growing media for flowers,
vegetables, fruits, saplings, ornamental shrubs and other horticultural plants of economic
importance (Beyer, 1996) (Table 6). The spent mushroom substrate being rich in N, P and K,
acts as a good growing medium for vegetables like cucumber, tomato (Fig. 9), broccoli, tulip,
cauliflower, peppers, spinach etc., but theresponse of the plants vary at different levels of
SMS incorporation. There are varied reports available regarding the effect of SMS on plant
growth and yield of vegetables, but the study carried out at National Research Centre for
Mushroom, Solan (HP) for the last 4 years has shown definite advantage with SMS. In earlier
studies also the incorporation of spent mushroom substrate @ 25% and 37.5% with the
growing medium has shown growth promoting effect on lettuce, marigold and tomato. There
is a long list of vegetables viz; Cucurbita pepo, Capsicum annuum, spring broccoli, autumn
broccoli, aubergines, sweet corn cv. Seneca gold, snapbeans (Phaseolus vulgaris) cv.
provinder and Pennisetum glaucum cv. HGM–100, which show enhanced yield on
amendment of the soil with SMS. However, the aged mushroom compost is preferable over
the fresh compost (Lohr and Coffey, 1987). The use of SMS as manure has also been found to
increase the quality of the produce in several crops. In a study, 50t ha-1 of SMS incorporation
in soil gave the maximum yield of onion bulbs with higher content of P, K, Ca and Mg in the
bulbs (Wisniewska and Penkiewicz, 1989) and in tomato it improved the firmness and
ascorbic acid content (Dundar et al., 1995). Besides vegetables, greenhouse and nursery
crops, the woody ornamental and forage crops including, Cotoneaster dammeri cv Coral
Beauty, Deutzia gracilis, Cornus alba, Argenteo marginata, Forsythia x intermedia cv.
Lynwood, Juniperus sabina cv. Blue Danube, J. virginiana cv. Hetzii, Physocarpus
opulifolius, Potentilla fruticosa cv. Red Ace, Ligustrum vulgare, Rosa indica cv. John
Franklin, Weigela cv. Bristol Ruby and W. florida cv. Variegata Nana also show good growth
in different levels (33%, 67% & 100%) of SMS mixed with bark (Chong and Rinker, 1994).
Inaddition to the above mentioned plant species, spent mushroom substrate also increases the
total spear FW and number m-2 in white asparagus (Pill et al., 1993), while total height in
mountain persimmon (Diospyros oldhamii) as well as non-astringent persimmon (D. kaki) cv.
Fuyu (Nee et al., 1994). The fresh SMS properly sized by sieving, leached of salts and
blended with vermiculture acts as an ideal growth medium for plants and offers exceptional
aeration, porosity, water holding capacity and nitrogen. It acts as a conceivable alternate to
peat in soil less mixer (Romaine and Holcomb, 2001). The research carried out in this
direction at NRCM, Solan has also shown very encouraging results with respect to effect of
SMS on plant growth, fruit yield and quality along with diseases management (Ahlawat et al.,
2004b, 2005a, 2005b, 2006a, 2007a, 2007b; Dev Raj et al., 2005). The detailed findings of
work carried out with different crops is presented in the following text. i) TOMATO
(Lycopersicon esculentum): Amendment of aerable land with 18.5 ton ha-1 of 6-24
monthsold naturally weathered SMS followed by recommended package of practices leads to
far superior vegetative growth of plants and yield of 746q ha-1 (Fig. 10) in comparison to
tomato yield of 456.53q ha-1 in FYM mixed soil. Similarly, the mixing of soil with 12
months old anaerobically recomposted SMS leads to superior tomato yield of 658.89 q ha-1 to
that of FYM (547.04q ha-1). Mixing of soil with anaerobically recomposted SMS also
enhances the tomato quality (Fig. 11) with respect to superior fruit weight (59.32 g), ascorbic
acid content (33.89 mg g-100 fresh weight), dry matter (8.40%), total soluble solids (TSS,
5.17 o Brix) & acidity (2.05%).Anaerobically recomposted SMS as manure in tomato crop is
found to lower incidences of blossom end rot, buck eye rot and leaf curl with no effect on
fruit borer incidence (Fig. 12). ) SHIMLA MIRCH (Capsicum annuum) Amendment of
aerable land with 25 ton ha-1 of 6-18 months old naturally weathered SMSAmendment of soil
with 12 months old naturally weathered SMS also enhances the fruit quality with respect to
fruit length (53.74 mm), fruit width (44.15 mm), dry matter (9.40%), total soluble solids (4.82
oBrix) & ascorbic acid content (23.70 mg g-100 fresh weight). Similarly the aerobically
recomposted SMS also stimulates the quality of the fruits with respect to their length (51.08
mm), width (43.48 mm), dry matter (9.41%), total soluble solids (4.80 o Brix) & ascorbic acid
content (25.37 mg g-100 fresh weight). Amendment of soil with 24 months old naturally
weathered and aerobically recomposted SMS also leads to 2-4% lower incidence of fruit rot,
15-20% lower incidence of chilli veinal mottle virus and about 4% lesser grasshopper attack
on plants in comparison to recommended dose of fertilizers and FYM.

Bioremediation of contaminated soil The uncontrolled release of industrial wastes in

the open and poor availability of pre-treatment facilities contribute towards the increased
level of contaminants in the soil. The degradation of these contaminants mainly depends upon
the physical and chemical conditions of the soil and the nature of microorganisms thrive in
the soil. In addition to being a rich nutrient source for various field crops, spent mushroom
substrate originated from different edible mushrooms possesses unique physicochemical and
biological properties, which make SMS an ideal bioremediative agent for various
environmental protection activities. SMS adsorbs the organic and inorganic pollutants and
harbours diverse category of microbes, which have the capability of biological break down of
the organic xenobiotic compounds. The microbes, especially actinomycetes (Streptomyces sp.
andThermomonospora sp.) present in spent mushroom substrate also have strong pollutants
catabolizing capabilities which result in decreased level of pollutants in contaminated soil
after incubation with SMS (Ahlawat et al., 2007c) (Table 7). In laboratory experiments, the
mixing of pentachlorophenol (PCP) contaminated sterile soil with aliquotes of spent sawdust
cultures of shiitake mushroom, supplemented with nutrient solution of glucose, thiamine and
mineral salt result in disappearance of about 44.4- 60.5% of pentachlorophenol in 21 days of
incubation. (Okeke et al., 1993). However, during the same incubation period, Buswell (1995)
reported 50% break down of PCP on mixing of spent shiitake substrate with sterile PCP
contaminated soil. The addition of spent oyster mushroom substrate in contaminated soil also
results in 50% to 87% reduction in 3-ring compounds in first 12 weeks of addition and these
further increase to 87% to 99% on reinoculation of SMS followed by further incubation for 3
weeks. The effect on 4-ring compound is less and it ranges between 34 to43%, which again
increases to 51% to 59% on re-inoculation of SMS after 12 weeks of first addition (Leopold,
2002). The spent mushroom substrate also has the decontamination potential for land sites
used for disposal of hazardous wastes (Buswell, 1994). Similar studies but with diverse
category of chemicals were conducted by Fermor et al. (2000) and reported a significant
potential of phase II compost in remediation of lands contaminated with xenobiotic pollutants
like chlorophenols (PCP), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) and aromatic
monomers. The crude and partially purified extract from SMS also degrade variety of dyes
and it has found uses as a bleaching and deinking aide (Fig. 25) during recycling of
paperwaste (Hanson, 2002; Ahlawat et al., 2006b). The second category of chemical
contaminants affecting the soil are the man made fungicides, herbicides and insecticides,
which are being in use for protecting the crops from different categories of pathogens,
competitors and pests. Five percent, W/W spent mushroom compost incorporation in soil
having 5 ppm alachlor concentration, increases the alachlor disappearance and protects
garden pea cv. Taichung from root injury. It has also been observed that SMS stimulates the
microbial population (108-109) and maintains it for 28 days. The stimulated microbial
population of Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp., Trichoderma sp., Aeromonas sp. and Bacillus
sp., has been found to degrade alachlor within 7 days of incubation under in vitro conditions
(Huang et al., 1995, 1996). Use of spent mushroom substrate also stabilizes the abandoned
mine sites, pipeline construction sites and commercial/industrial sites. The mixing of SMS in
soil degrades different pesticides at varied rateswith the involvement of physical structure of
SMS and microbes it harbours. i) Bioremediation of pesticides: The mixing of spent
mushroom substrate @ 10, 20 & 30%, w/w in soil, results in faster degradation of Decis,
Malathion, Bavistin and Mancozeb in comparison to soil without any amendment of SMS.
Mixing of soil @ 30% gives best results and the effect is at par in 20% SMS amendment
treatment (Fig. 26). The concentration of insecticides (Malathion and Deltamethrin) reduces
to just half of its initial concentration just after one month of SMS mixing and to negligible
level after six months of SMS mixing. However, in Decis (deltamethrin), the 35degradation
occurs at much faster rate and it reaches to undetectable limit after 5 months of SMS
application. In case of fungicides also (Carbendazim and Mancozeb), maximum degradation
occurs on 30% SMS mixing. The residue level of carbendazim reduces to 6% of its initial
concentration after 6 months of SMS mixing in soil. Twenty percent SMS mixing gives
results at par with 30% SMS treatment. The degradation of Mancozeb occurs at a faster rate
in 20% SMS treatment. In control, degradation of different pesticides occurs at slower rate
and is far less as compared to SMS incorporated soil. During the study, the lignolytic
enzymes have been found to play major role in pesticides bioremediation. Among different
microflora of SMS, Trichoderma sp., Aspergillus sp., Mucor sp. and B-I bacterial isolate
possess higher pesticides biodegradation potential under in vitro conditions. The
bioremediation of pesticides in sterilized SMS occurs at a very slow rate as compared to pure
or mixed inoculum of different fungi or bacteria (Gupta et al., 2006a; Ahlawat et al., 2007c)
ii) Bioremediation of heavy metals The mixing of spent mushroom substrate @ 10, 20 &
30%, w/w, results in faster degradation of lead and cadmium in soil in comparison to soil
without any amendment of SMS. It has been recorded that metals decrease at sharpest rate in
30% SMS, w/w, mixed soil. The level of cadmium & lead reduces to undetectable limit after
six months of SMS mixing in soil under in situ conditions. However, the decrease in levels of
these heavy metals in control plot occurs at a very slow rate, where no SMS is mixed. The
sharp decrease in level of heavy metals in SMS mixed soil occurs because of the isolated
biomass of SMS which works as an ion exchanger. The microflora thrive on SMS has been
found to be responsible for faster heavy metals bioremedation in SMS mixed soils. In
sterilized SMS, initially the metal level decreases quite fast but become gradual after the zero
day of analysis (Gupta et al., 2006b). e) Vermicomposting Decomposition of SMS takes
minimum of six months andquality manure from SMS can only be prepared by long term
decomposition. The duration of SMS decomposition can be shortened to few weeks by
vermicomposting of SMS. Farm yard manure is the most preferred food material for worms,
but recent studies conducted at National Research Centre for Mushroom, Solan have shown
that spent substrate from paddy straw, oyster and button mushrooms are also suitable for
vermicomposting. Fresh as well as 15-20 days old rotten spent mushroom substrate from
white button, oyster, milky and paddy straw mushrooms is an acceptable material for the
worms to multiply and to convert it into manure for field crops. different combinations either
with FYM, agricultural or vegetable farming wastes depending upon their availability.
Effective vermicomposting can be followed by following the standard protocol as adopted for
FYM, agricultural and domestic wastes (Fig. 27). The time for vermicomposting with SMS
varies between 2 to 2.5 months

Spent mushroom substrate as organic fertilizer Spent mushroom substrate is still

nutrient-rich and contains about 80% of the total nitrogen in bound form with high molecular
weight fractions of lignin and humic substances (Grabbe, 1982). Nitrogen release from the
SMS is very low; therefore, plant nutrition is insufficient, which can, however, be achieved
by the addition of some easily available form of nitrogen source. On the other hand
phosphorus, potassium, micro-nutrients and the growth substances in SMS are present in
sufficient quantity and in the available form. Availability of nutrients from SMS can be
enhanced by preparing an organic-mineral fertilizer from the spent mushroom substrate.
Theabsorption capacity of stable ‘humus’ available in SMS helps in retention of nitrogen in
the top soil (Grabbe, 1978). Conversion of SMS into an organic-mineral fertilizer is an
alternative way of using spent mushroom compost for soil amelioration and to make it a
balanced source of nutrition for plant growth. The organic mineral fertilizers prepared with
three different formulae, having 2, 7 and 10% nitrogen and each supplemented with 2%
phosphate (P2O5) and 2% of potassium (K2O) have the potential of a balanced organic
fertilizer for spinach and give yields of spinach equal to the standard fertilization. In addition,
the organic mineral fertilizer also improves the quality and dry matter of spinach as compared
to mineral fertilizer treatment (Sochtig and Grabbe, 1995). Preparation of the organic mineral
fertilizer from the SMS has also been patented in USA (Robinson, 1988). g) Spent mushroom
substrate for disease management Due to the unique chemical constitution and the microflora
present in SMS, its application can be more diversified than what is normally predicted.
Theactinomycetes, bacteria and fungi inhabiting the compost, not only play role in its further
decomposition but also exert antagonism to the normal pathogens surviving and multiplying
in the soil ecosystem. The amendment of soil with spent mushroom substrate restricts the root
knot infestation of tomato plants caused by Meloidogyne incognita. It shows higher efficacy
than the application of carbofuran (2kg ai ha-1), a common nematicide used to combat the
above organism (Verma, 1986). Under in vitro conditions, the anaerobically fermented
aqueous extract of the SMS inhibits the conidial germination of Venturia inaequalis, the
causal agent of apple scab. The extract also inhibits the conidial germination of Cochliobolus
carborum and Sphaeropsis sapinea (Diplodia pinea) causing diseases on maize and red pine
(Pinus resinosa), respectively. The aqueous extract obtained after 5 to 9 days of incubation in
the ratio of 2:1 to 4:1 (water: SMS) maintains its efficacy for about 4 months onSMS has the
potential of solving several agriculture related problems. However, it requires some early
treatments like desalting/prolonged leaching and recomposting for added advantages. The
conductivity of SMS, which is taken as a criteria of high salt concentration can be tested
before using SMS for raising crops. However, the ions which contribute to high conductivity
in recomposted SMS are highly water soluble and their leaching is possible. SMS is also not
part of the list of wastes which are required to fulfill the legal hygienic conditions in respect
of load of heavy metals and phosphate. The model way of agrowastes utilization in Israel
(Table 8), can be adopted for recycling of SMS without leaving any residue in the end. The
exploitation of spent mushroom substrate for the management of environment, agriculture and
production of recyclable energy requires strict watch on its physical, chemical and
microbiological properties. Yes, its diversified uses in agriculture, environment and recycling
energy (Fig. 28) forces us to change its name from spent mushroom substrate to “used
mushroom substrate”.

Spawn production
Mushroom spawn can be prepared from any kind of cereal grain like wheat maize
bajara, jowar or rye etc.
Substrate preparations
i) Spawn substrate have following desirable qualities
ii) Cereal grains free from diseases and pest
iii) It should provide essential nutrients required for the growth of mushroom mycelium
iv) Large surface area of substrate should be available for fungal colonization
v) It should not be contain any inhibitory compounds

Spawn production using cereal grain as a substrate

i) The cereal grain are thoroughly washed in sufficient water 2 -3 times to remove the
soil debris, straw particles and undesirable seeds and grains
ii) Washed grains are soaked in sufficient water for 20 – 30 minute.
iii) The grains are taken in wide mouth container and boiled in sufficient water for 20-30
minutes

Management of wet bubble disease (Mycogone perniciosa)

  Wet bubble produced two main symptom types, one if young pin
heads are infected they develop monstrous shapes which often do not
resemble mushrooms.  When infection take place before the differentiation
of stipe and pileus the selerodermoid form resulted, whereas, infection after
differentiation resulted in the production of thickened stipe with deformation
of the gills.  Both types of infections may exude water drops on the surface
of infected sporophores.  Symptoms in the form of white mouldy growth on
the mushrooms, leading to their putrefaction (giving foul odour) with a
golden brown liquid exudates are also observed.  These water drops later
change into amber colour.

Use of clean compost, pasteurization or sterilization of casing soil, good

peak heating and fumigation of mushroom house and use of
 carbendazim/benomyl/ chlorothalonil/TBZ or prochloraz manganese
fungicide for the effective management of wet bubble.  Casing should be
treated with 1 percent formalin before 2-3 days of its application followed by
immediate spray of carbendazim, benomyl, chlorothalonil, TBZ, prochloraz
manganese complex @ 0.1% after casing application.  Alternatively, a
spray of 0.8 percent formalin on to casing surface, immediately after
casing, can be effective.  However, this concentration can be injurious if
used at a later stage in crop development.

Production of white button mushroom compost by indoor

composting technique
This center has perfected a protocol for the production of environment
friendly white button mushroom compost in 12 days time against 20 to 28
days normally taken in short and long method of composting respectively.
Procedure for production of such compost was perfected using aerated
phase one bunkers keeping intermittent temperature range. Such method
produces significantly more compost per unit weight of the ingredients
taken compared to present day technologies being used by the seasonal
and environment control units. Yields obtained were also higher compared
to other techniques. Further, such technique improved the consistency of
the compost quality, improved material handling and reduction in raw
material losses during composting with minimal air pollution.

Improved cultural practices for button mushroom

New cultural practices with ability to enhance the overall mushroom yield of
mushroom have been developed at the Centre which includes:

Mixing of Phosphotika (PSB), biofertilizer in ready to spawn compost

@ 0.5% at the time of spawning.  This practice restricts the competitor
moulds infection in compost, helps in early spawn run and enhances
mushroom yield by 20-25% over control.

Spray treatment of rooting hormone (Veradix-2):  This technique is

very cheap and helps in enhancing mushroom yield from 20-30% with
major yield during first two weeks of cropping.  The mushroom beds at
 the time of pinhead initiation have to be sprayed with 0.1% solution of
Veradix-2 (Indole butynic acid commercial formulation) of 1 st, 2nd and
3rd flush.  The practice also helps in shortening
the time period required for first harvest and total
cropping cycle.

Mixing of bacterial inoculants in casing material

and conditioning of pasteurized casing material: 
As it has been sited at many places that the
casing soil inhabiting microbes exert their effect
on mushroom fruiting.  Taking a clue from this
we have identified two bacteria, Alcaligenes faecalis and Bacillus
megatenum with their ability to enhance button mushroom yield on
inoculating them @ 0.1% v/v (108 cell/ml) at the time of casing.  This
practice helps in obtaining higher yield of 20-30% of button
mushroom.  Similarly, conditioning of FYM and foirpith FYM or coirpith
+ SMS based pasteurized casing materials at 45-52 oC for 12 housrs
help in obtaining higher yield of button mushroom.

 
Mushroom Flies Management The mushroom flies are major problem in
seasonal mushroom farms.  Beside damaging mushrooms, these flies act
as carrier of different moulds, nematodes and mites.  Since, mushrooms
are very sensitive to pesticides and because of residue problems, very few
pesticides have been recommended for mushrooms.  Short duration of
crop further limits the scope of liberal application of even recommended
pesticides.  In this endeavour to search for non-chemical control method,
sticky trap using different coloured lights were evaluated.  Among all the
colours, yellow coloured bulb was found to be most effective.  The trap
consists of a 15 W yellow bulb and a polythene sheet of any size coated
with mustard oil.  Bulb and sheet are hanged on the wall and switched on
in the evening hours.  If room size is large than two traps can be used. 
Since flies show phototactic behaviour in the morning and evening hours,
all the flies will stick to the polythene sheet.  When sheet is fully covered by
flies, it should be changed.  If on an average, a single fly lays 50 eggs and
by trapping 2630 flies, 131500 larvae have been controlled without the use
of insecticides.  This trap is highly popular among the mushroom growers
and is widely adopted in almost all the mushroom growing States of India. 
In addition to the trap, one or two spray application of decis or nuvan as
adulticides on walls and floor is highly effective for fly control.  Presently
farmers are following this method for fly control with good success without
using any insecticide directly on the mushroom beds.
 Shortening the period under long method composting

Production of compost by long method takes around 28-30 days for its
completion. This centre has developed a technique wherein productive
white button mushroom compost can be produced in 16 days time. Farmers
adopting this method should first ensure that N level in the ingredients
should not be more than 1.5% in any case otherwise duration of
composting may increase. Standard formulations as suggested by DMR,
Solan can be used. Turning schedule followed should be as follows.  -1 day
wetting of the ingredients, 0 day pile formation, +4 day 1 st turning, +6 day
2nd turning, +8 day 3rd turning (add gypsum), +10th day 4th turning,
+12th day 5th turning, +14th day 6th turning, +16th day check for smell of
ammonia, if no ammonia smell than spawn. Additional turning may be given
if ammonia smell persists

Post composting supplementation in Agaricus

bisporus compost

Technique for post composting supplementation of prepared A.

bisporus compost under seasonal growing / controlled conditions have
been perfected at this centre. Cotton seed meal, cotton seed cake,
soybean meal, defatted soybean cake can be employed as supplements.
First coarsely grind the supplements and treat them with 5000 ppm of
formaldehyde and cover the supplements with polythene sheet. Leave as
such for 24 hours for sterilization and denaturing of the supplements.
Treated supplement can be added in the compost at the time of spawning
@ 1% fresh wt of the compost. However supplementation at casing gives
better results. In this case, required quantity of supplement (1%) is
thoroughly mixed in the properly colonized compost just before casing and
casing applied as usual.  Increase in yield due to supplementation at this
stage with cottonseed meal or soybean meal is over-whelming (15-20%
increase) whether tried on LMC or on short method compost

Chemical sterilization of compost

Long method compost harbours number of competitors and disease

causing organisms which hamper the yield.  The technique of sterilization
of long method compost has been standardized at the Centre, which is as
follows.  Take 50gm of bavastin and 150ml of formaldehyde and dissolve
these two chemicals in 40 liters of water.  This chemical solution is
sufficient for the treatment of 1 ton of prepared compost.  Compost after its
preparation (28 days) is spread on the platform and thoroughly treated with
this chemical solution.  After treatment compost is again made up into a
heap and covered with a polythene sheet for 48 hours.  After this period,
polythene sheet is removed and compost turned to remove the excess
fumes of formaldehyde and spawned as usual.  This treatment of long
method compost is very effective for the treatment of yellow mould
diseases.

Why Eat Mushrooms

Mushrooms are source of quality protein having essential amino acids
and high digestibility.

o No cholesterol and low fat with ergosterol and polyunsaturated

fatty acids : Good for Heart.
o Low calorific food with no starch, low sugars : Delight of
Diabetics.
 o High Fibre, low sodium-high potassium diet : Anti-Hypertensive.
o Good source of vitamin B-complex and Vit C; only vegetable
source of Vit D.
o Rich in minerals like copper (cardio-protective) & Selenium (anti-
cancer).
o Anticancer, Anti-HIV, Anti-viral, Anti-
histaminic, Hypo-
cholesterolemic,Hepato-& Nephro-
protective, Anti-oxident, stamina
enhancer, etc.
In post harvest technology, the following
processes/techniques for preservation and long
term storage has been standardized.

 Osmo-air drying of mushroom

 Sun-drying of mushroom
 Cabinet-drying of mushroom
 Freeze drying of mushroom

Mushroom Products

 Mushroom pickle
 Mushroom soup powder
 Mushroom biscuits
 Mushroom nuggets
 Mushroom murabba
 Mushroom catch-up
 Mushroom papad
 Ready-to-use mushroom curry
RECYCLING – SMS

Compost is considered "spent" when one full crop of

mushroom, has been taken or when further extension
of cropping becomes unremunerative. Unplanned
release of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) creates
various environmental problems including ground water contamination and
nuisance. However, if handled properly it can be used for managing
agriculture, environment and to produce recyclable energy. Fresh SMS
contains 1.9-0.4-2.4% (N-P-K), while 8-16 months old contains 1.9-0.6-1.0
(N.P.K). SMS does not fall in the category of hazardous substances as it
does not contain heavy metals. SMS obtained from various sources vary in
its physical and chemical properties.

The material has been found to be good nutrient sources for agriculture. Its
addition in nutrient poor soil leads to an improvement in soil texture, water
holding capacity and nutrient status. The phosphorus and potassium
requirements of the crop plants can be fulfilled by incorporating 5% of SMS
by volume, while nitrogen requirement can be fully met by 25% of SMS by
volume. The microbes inhabiting the compost exert antagonism to soil
pathogens thus protect the plants from diseases.

Treatments like rapid salt leaching and recomposting by aerobic or

anaerobic methods for one to two years make SMS more suitable for growing
flowers, vegetables, fruit, saplings, ornamental shrubs and other horticulture
plants of economic importance. The SMS acts as a good growing medium for
vegetables like cucumber, tomato, broccoli, tulip, cauliflower, peppers,
spinach etc. The incorporation of 12-18 months old aerobically/anaerobically
recomposted SMS in field led to enhanced yield and quality of Tomato,
Shimla Mirch, Pea, Cauliflower, Ginger, Onion, Brinjal and Wheat along with
lower incidence of disease and insect pests
The use of anaerobically recomposted spent mushroom substrate as casing
material gave superior button mushroom yield with better diseases
management.

SMS adsorbs the organic and inorganic pollutants and biodegrade them in
non toxic forms thus help in reclamation of chemically contaminated soils.

SMS of paddy straw, oyster and button mushrooms can be used as feeding
Cultivation of pink oyster mushroommaterial for vermicomposting.
Pink oyster mushroom is Pleurotus djamor var.
roseus that has a light to dark pink coloured cap
depending upon the strain and growing
conditions. It is one of the fastest
growing Pleurotus species and can readily
colonize on any kind of agricultural waste
including wheat or paddy straw, sugar cane
bagasse in 8 to 10 days (20-25C). The fruit body
formation also takes very less time (10-15 days)
as compared to all other Pleurotus spp. It is
suitable for cultivation during warmer conditions.
Recently coconut wastes mainly rachis and
inflorescence part were also found suitable for its
cultivation at DMR Solan.

The spraying of 0.2% solution of CaCl2 on mushroom beds starting from

pinhead initiation stage upto completion of crop helps in obtaining
mushrooms with superior quality (whiteness and texture) and the quality is
maintained for much longer period on storage both at ambient and
refrigerated conditions.  Similarly washing of mushrooms in solution of
0.02% KMS + 100 ppm EDTA helps in maintaining superior quality of the
stored mushroom.  Pakacing of washed mushroom in 100 gauge thick
polypropylene bags also helps in retaining the quality for a much longer
period than packaging in ordinary polythene bags.

Techniques for enhancement in quality and shelf-life of

harvested button mushroom

The spraying of 0.2% solution of CaCl2 on mushroom beds starting from

pinhead initiation stage upto completion of crop helps in obtaining
mushrooms with superior quality (whiteness and texture) and the quality is
maintained for much longer period on storage both at ambient and
refrigerated conditions.  Similarly washing of mushrooms in solution of
0.02% KMS + 100 ppm EDTA helps in maintaining superior quality of the
stored mushroom.  Pakacing of washed mushroom in 100 gauge thick
polypropylene bags also helps in retaining the quality for a much longer
period than packaging in ordinary polythene bags.