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Chapter 2 2
Chapter 2 2
Part I Mushrooms
India is also developing its infrastructure rapidly and therefore enjoys a large and well-organized distribution network that facilitates the marketing of products in order to meet domestic consumer demands. From a dietary standpoint mushrooms are a particularly favorable food in vegetarian-predominant India. With a domestic population of more than one billion, India itself is a large market for mushrooms. The per capita consumption of mushrooms in India is currently only about 25g per year although there has been a steady increase in the consumption of exotic mushrooms including oyster mushrooms in addition to the use of regular button mushrooms. This increase can be seen as a highly encouraging sign coming from the potential mushroom consumers in India. Cultivated Figure 3. India in Asia mushrooms are available today in all common vegetable shops, grocery stores, department stores in both small and big towns in India. One final reason for optimism concerning Indias potential as a major mushroom producer is its strategic geographical location with respect to exportation, making it convenient to export oyster mushrooms to the Middle East, Europe, the United States, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Part I Mushrooms
As the table depicts, there are two most likely situations. Some growers are growing mushrooms with purchased raw materials, while others are growing mushrooms with their own raw materials. If the substrate materials are from the owners own fields, this produces maximum profits. To obtain the maximum benefit mushroom growers should be farmers of other crops or young farmers in rural areas. The Indian agencies involved in the promotion of oyster mushroom growing are using this information to promote self-employment among rural youth. This particular aspect holds good for all developing nations in which rural youth are migrating to industrialized cities in search of employment. The oyster mushroom has various species and each has its own characteristics. Therefore, each geographic region in India chooses the appropriate species for its climate and environment. In addition, the substrate materials used and growing methods are also different according to species and regions. Table 2 shows the cultivation aspects of various species of oyster mushroom. Table 2. The cultivation aspects of various species of oyster mushroom Species grown or collected Pleurotus ostreatus Pleurotus sojar-caju Pleurotus Florida Substrate materials used Paddy Straw paddy Husk Wheat bran Paddy Bagasse, wheat bran Paddy straw, Wheat straw, Bagasse, Wheat bran and Cassia hirsute (a leguminous weed) at 20% combination with bagasse Paddy straw, wheat straw, wheat bran, and sawdust supplemented with wheat or rice bran From nature Regions(States) Southern India particularly, Niligiri Hills Southern India System of cultivation cultivation period Poly bags The whole cylindrical year block Poly bags, June to Pressed blocks February Poly bags and poly blocks of cylindrical shape June to February Growing temperature 12-25
22-35
Off-season in Northern India (Goa, Maharastra karnatake, parts of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh)
20-32
Pleurotus spp.
June to March
22-35
Pleurotus spp.
Himalayan regions, Western Ghat, Niligiri Hills and Other forest areas
In rainy season
Part I Mushrooms
Spawn preparation 10kg of wheat grains are boiled for 15 minutes in 15L of water and then allowed to soak for another 15 minutes without heating. The excess water is drained off and the grains are cooled in sieves. The grains should be turned several times with a spoon for quick cooling. The cooled grains are mixed with the gypsum (CaSO42H2O) and 30g of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The gypsum prevents the grains from sticking together and the calcium carbonate is necessary to correct the pH. The prepared grains are filled into half-liter milk bottles or polypropylene bags (150-200g per bottle or bag) and autoclaved for 2 hours at 121. After sterilization, the material should have a pH value of 7. The bottles are inoculated with grains or bits of agar medium colonized with mycelium, and then incubated at 22-24 in a dark place. The mycelium completely spreads through the grains in about 2 weeks. Substrate inoculation The cooled substrate is inoculated with spawn by layers at a rate of 2% on a wet basis to make the blocks. The procedure of block making is as follows. 1. The wooden frame of 6045cm is placed on a smooth floor (Fig. 5). 2. The jute ropes and poly sheet are placed on the frame (Fig. 6, 7). 3. The frame is filled with approximately 5cm of cooled pre-treated straw and compressed by the wooden lid (Fig. 8). 4. The spawn is sprinkled over the whole surface (Fig. 9). 5. The same procedure is repeated five times to achieve a depth of 25-30cm (Fig. 10). 6. The plastic sheet is folded over the top of the frame and tied down with help of ropes previously placed below the plastic. The frame is removed from the block. 7. Small holes of approximately 2mm in diameter are punched in the block for breathing. The blocks are later placed on the shelves in single layer for incubation. Spawn run and pin initiation The block temperature is maintained at 25 for 12-15 days. Once the blocks are fully colonized, they are hung, after removing the polythene, in a room where the relative humidity is maintained above 85%. The humidity is normally maintained by frequent spraying of water on the blocks and on the floor. The pins are visible 9 days after the opening of the blocks.
Copyright 2004 by MushWorld All rights reserved.
Part I Mushrooms
Fruiting and picking A high relative humidity and proper ventilation is maintained in the growing room during pinning and fruitbody development. The mushrooms are usually picked for fresh market sales. Most of the growers take 3 flushes. Mushrooms picked in the third flush are mostly used for sun drying, where maximum dry matter is achieved.
Copyright 2004 by MushWorld All rights reserved.
Part I Mushrooms
* INR (India Rupee, INR1USD0.0221 in Feb 2004) Copyright 2004 by MushWorld All rights reserved.