Mushroom species
* Button mushroom (agaricus spp) most cultivated in India.
* Paddy straw (volvariell spp)
* Oyster mushroom -dhingri (pleurotus spp)
* Milky mushroom (calocybe spp)
¢ Shiitake mushroom (lentinulla spp)
« Reishi (ganoderma lucidum) most popular medicinal
Mushrooms do not have chlorophyll (green part in leaves) which helps the
plants to use water, carbon dioxide and energy from the sun to synthesize their
own food. In the absence of chlorophyll, mushrooms cannot produce their own
food and depend on higher plants for food. Mushrooms obtain nutrients from
organic materials like straw, dead wood, manure, dung, etc 3
Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi. But major part of the life of
mushrooms is in the form of microscopic thread like structure in the soil, wood,
etc (Fig. 1.4). These microscopic threads are called mycelium. One cubic
centimeter of soil can have up to 13 km long mycelium. These threads unite to
form small structures (pinheads) that grow into mushroom. These fruiting
bodies produce spores that help in spread of the fungus. You might have seen
black spots on old bread pieces. These are nothing but spores of fungi.
Mushroom
oc
Mygelium
AGRIOFFICERS CHOICE 9669186818, 9926868282cientific cultivation of mushrooms started in the beginning of 20th century
Oyster
Button tn
3%
Volvariella
Milky
3%
Fig. 1.7: Contribution of different species in total
mushroom produetion in India
BASIC STEPS IN MUSHROOM CULTIVATION. a
Mushroom growing involves spawn production, composting, cultivation. After
that we need to process and market these.
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« The first step before starting cultivation is to procure or produce spawn of
good quality.
* Second step is to prepare the substrate of good quality. As we will see in
subsequent chapters that method of preparing substrate differs with the
type of mushroom to be cultivated. Method of spawning, that is mixing of
spawn in compost, and amount of spawn required will also vary in
different mushrooms. In some cases spawn may be mixed thoroughly
whereas in other cases it may be put layer wise. Spawning in some cases
can be done in open under hygienic conditions whereas in other cases,
particularly where the substrate has been autoclaved, the spawning can
be done only under sterile conditions. We need only half kg to one kg of
spawn for 100 kg of compost in button mushroom, where as in oyster we
AGRIOFFICERS CHOICE 9669186818, 9926868282need 2.5 kg and in milky mushroom we may require up to 5 kg spawn for
100 kg of substrate.
* The third step is cropping. After spawn run, that is allowing the fungus to
spread throughout the substrate, we take steps to induce formation of
mushrooms. In some cases it is required to put a layer of casing material
whereas in other cases fruiting can be obtained as such. In all cases, to
induce fruiting some sort of change is required; For example in case of
button mushroom temperature is lowered from 25 to.17°C and carbon
dioxide levels are lowered by giving fresh air. In Oyster, to induce fruiting
both fresh air and diffused light is necessary
AGRIOFFICERS CHOICE 9669186818, 9926868282