Mushroom Cultivation

A few important questions and answers for the students

(1) What is spawn?

       Spawn is a fungal growth medium that already has mycelial fragments of mushroom which is used by the mushroom growers as inoculum.

Fig. A packet of paddy straw mushroom spawn

(2) What are the different types of spawn?

Mushroom spawns are of different types:-

(i)  Natural spawn

(ii) Milltrack spawn

(iii) Brick spawn

(iv) Flake spawn

(vi) Tobacco spawn

(vii) Grain spawn

(3) Describe the method of spawning.

Terrier (1945) first used wheat grain in spawning. Chang and Li, 1982 describe the following steps of grain spawning:-

(i) Wheat grains are boiled first till it is half cooked, then water is drained off.

(ii)To this 2% Calcium carbonate is mixed thoroughly.

(iii) Then the mixture is transferred into glass tubes/ flasks.

(iv)After plugging with non-absorbent cotton the mixture is autoclaved at 121°C for 30 minutes.

(v) After cooling down to 30°C - 40°C , grains are inoculated with pure culture of mushroom and incubated at  25°C i.e., at  room temperature.

    It takes about 15 days for the spawn to grow and completely cover the grains.

(4) Why Calcium carbonate is added during spawning?

 Callcium carbonate is added to:

(i) prevent the grains from clotting and 

(ii) adjust pH to 6.5 to 7.5.

(5) Describe the cultivation process of the paddy straw mushroom.

           Volvariella sp. was first cultivated in China during 18th century . In India , it was first cultivated in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It grows at 30°C - 40°C on paddy straw .

         Indian species:

Volvariella esculenta

Volvariella displasia and

Volvariella volvacea

Fig.  Volvariella volvacea

Cultivation :

Process I:

           Thomas et.al., 1943 first cultivated V . esculenta on the bed of three twisted bundles of 10 kg paddy straw soaked with water and placed on wooden platform of size  (75 cm  x 75 cm  x 30 cm).

           The paddy bed was spawned and covered with three twist. The whole bed was covered with polyethylene sheet to maintain moisture.

          After 7-10 days of spawning , button of the mushroom appears.

Process II:-

      Bahl,1982 described "polybag method" for the cultivation of V. volvacea.

(i) At first paddy straw are chopped and soaked in water for 24 hours.

(ii) Waste papers are also cut into small pieces and soaked in water for 24 hours.

(iii) After 24 hours water decanted.

(iv) Both of chopped paddy straw and cut paper pulp and spawn mixed thoroughly.

(v) Then the mixture is filled in poly-bags.

(vi) Each bag is punctured with needle to facilitate the exchange of air and drainage of water.

(vii) Mouth of each bag is tied and kept at 35° C - 40°C .

(viii) After a few days poly bags are cut and removed carefully without disturbing the contents.

(ix)  Humidity of the content is maintained to about 85- 90 % by spraying water.

(x) After 10-15 days of incubation small pins appear to grow.

(6) State the food value of Mushroom.

The food value of Volvariella volvacea is described below:

Protein      4.98% ( on dry wt )

Water.        88.4%

Ash.             1.46%

Fat.              0.74%

Crude fibre 1.38%

Energy 29.5 cal

Vitamins and minerals (mg/100 gm dry wt.)

Thiamin             1.2 

Niacin              91.9 

Riboflavin.         3.3

Ascorbic acid  20.2

Ca       71

K.    3455

Na     374

Fe        15.2

P        677

(7)Describe the cultivation process of Oyster Mushroom.

       Pleurotus sp. are termed as Oyster Mushroom. It is very easy to cultivate this mushroom and best growing time in India is March/April to September /October,i.e., 5-6 crops in a year.

Common species:

(1)  During Summer :

(i) P.flabelltus,(ii) P.  sajor cajo ,(iii) P. sapidus (iv) P.membranaceous ,(v) P.citrinopiletus , (vi) P.oeous etc.

(2) During Winter:

(i) P.ostreatus,(ii) P.florida,(iii) P.cornucopiae ,

(iv) P.fossulatus , (v) P.eryngii 

Agro -climate :

Temperature: 20-30°C, Humidity: 55-70%

Cultivation Process:

(A) Spawn Preparation/Procurement:  Spawning is done on sterilized grains of wheat, jowar or bajra . It is reported that wheat grains are inferior than the rest two grains in case of spawning. Within 10-15 days mycelia grow on grains.

(B) Substrate Preparation: Agro-waste rich in lignin and cellulose like straw of paddy, wheat and ragi ; stalk and leaves of maize, millets and cotton; used citronella leaf; sugarcane bagasse; saw dust; jute and cotton waste ; dehulled corncobs ; peanut shells; dried grasses; sunflower stalks; used tea leaf waste, etc.may be used as substrate after pasteuzed by  hot water (80°C) for 2 hrs OR  steam pasteurisation at 80°C for 2hrs.OR sterilized in an autoclave at121°C,15lb pressure for 15 minutes .

   (i) The substrate chopped into 2"-3"(5-7cm)pieces and soaked for 10-12hrs.

   (ii) After draining excess water, chopped substrate were filled ind gunny bag and dipped in boiling water for 20-30 minutes.

    (iii) After cooling, excess water drained off and packed in 35x55 cm disinfected /sterilized bags of polythene.

(C) Spawning of Substrate : Usually 20-30 days old grain spawn are used in a pre-fumigated room(48 hrs. with 2% formaldehyde). In general, 200 gm spawns are added through sides and top .

OR, About 5 gm of bengal-gram powder with half bottle of spawn are mixed with the substrate.

   The mixture is filled in large polybags and mouth of the bags tied (R.C.Dubey).

(D) Crop Management : 

(i) Incubation: After spawning bags, trayes or boxes with substrate are arranged on raised platforms/ shelves in a dark room at 10-30°C ( optimum 22-26 °C ) temperature having well ventilation.

(ii) Fruiting: After full colonization of mycelia on the substrate fruiting starts after 10-15 days .  Now the polybags are cut and removed carefully.Frequient spray of water is required on th basis of humidity . At 85-90%  humidity fruit bodies  turn bigger while at 65-70% smaller.

Harvesting: Fruit bodies are harvested, before spore release, by twisting.

Packing: Perforated polythene bags are used to pack fresh mushrooms with crushed ice.

Preservation: Pleurotus mushroom are deteriorating within 1 day after harvest ( Apati, Furlan & Laurindo, 2010 ).So, drying is the best method for long term storage and transportation( Tolera and Abera,2017).

Reference:

1. Apati,G.P., Furlan, S.A., & Laurindo, J.B.(2010). Drying and rehydration of Oyster Mushroom.

  Brszilian Archives of Biology and Technology,53, 945--952.[Google Scholar]

2.National Horticulture Board

3. Dubey,R.C.,A Textbook of Biotechnology,S.Chand & Company Limited,2009,439-441.

4.Tolera K.D., Abera S., Nutritional quality of Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) as affected by osmotic pretreatments and drying methods; Food Sci Nutr.2017 Sep; 5(5):989--996.

Food value of Oyster Mushroom

The amount of different contents are found in 100 gm of Oyster Mushroom:

Water 89.2 g

Energy 33 kcal

Protein 3.31 g

Total lipid(fat) 0.41 g

Ash 1.01 g

Carbohydrate, by difference : 6.09g

Glucose 1.11g

Calcium 3 mg

Iron 1.33 mg

Magnesium 18 mg

Phosphorus 120 mg

Potassium 420 mg

Sodium 18 mg

Zinc 0.77 mg

Copper 0.244 mg

Manganese 0.133 mg

Selenium 2.6 micro gm

Thiamin 0.125 mg

Riboflavin 0.349 mg

Niscin 4.96 mg

Pantothenic acid 1.29 mg

Vit B-6  0.11mg

Folate 38 micro gm

Beta carotene 29 mg

Vit A 48 IU

Vit D 29 IU

Tryptophan 0.042 g

Isoleucine 0.112 g

Leucine 0.168 g

Lysine 0.126 g

Methionine 0.042 g

Cystine 0.028 g

Phenylalanine 0.112 g

Tyrosine 0.084 g

Valine 0.197 g

Arginine 0.182 g

Histidine 0.07 g

Alanine 0.239 g

Aspertic acid 0.295 g

Glycine 0.126 g

Proline 0.042 g

Serine 0.126 g

(Source: USDA, Agriculture Research Service)