Mushroom Research 26 (2) : 175-179, 2017 BK PANI et al.

Effect of substrate moisture on the production of straw mushroom,

Volvariella volvacea
BK Pani*, N Chinara and KB Mohapatra

Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar- 751 003, India

*Corresponding author, E-mail: dr.bkpani1965@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) is extensively cultivated in Odisha as a profitable

business enterprise. It is cultivated outdoors under the shade of trees in cuboidal beds with
layer spawning. Keeping in view the absence of any systematic research on the optimum
moisture requirement of substrate, an experiment was conducted to determine the effect of
substrate moisture on the production of straw mushroom, Volvariella volvacea. Varied
moisture content viz. 0 (dry straw without soaking), 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100
% were maintained in the substrate prior to spawning. It was revealed that soaked paddy
straw with 60 % moisture sustained the highest yield of mushroom (1214.7 g, 12.1 % BE)
compared to other treatments. Dry straw (without any soaking) failed to produce any fruiting
body. The increase in moisture content from 10 to 60 % is directly proportional to the increase
in yield. There was a gradual decline in yield as the moisture content was increased from 60
to 90 %. There was no fruiting in saturated moisture (100 %) condition. It has commonly
been observed that the top layer of a straw bed, having the same moisture status as other
layers, produces very sparse or no fruiting. This adversely affects the overall productivity of
the bed. Therefore, another study was conducted, wherein, the moisture content of the top/
covering layer was allowed to have different moisture levels such as 0 (dry straw, without
soaking), 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 % whereas the remaining three layers contained 60 %
moisture. It was revealed that, 30 % moisture in the top layer was optimum to support
maximum fruiting (463.7 g) on top leading to highest total production in the bed (1416.4g,
14.1 % BE). This was significantly higher than that of the normal practice (1140.7 g, 11.4 %
BE) of having 60 % moisture in the top as well as other layers. The beds covered with dry
straw produced only 10.4 g of fresh mushrooms leading to significantly lower overall
productivity ( 938.4 g, 9.3 % BE).

Key words: substrate moisture, straw mushroom, yield

Straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) is growers. It is cultivated in cuboidal beds of 1.5

cultivated as a successful business enterprise in ft X 1.5 ft X 1.5 ft with layer spawning. During
Odisha with an estimated annual production cultivation, general practice is to maintain 5"
of 9550 MT (Anonymous, 2016). Conducive thickness in the three layers while the covering
climate, simple cultivation technology, easy layer is of 3" thickness. One-fourth each of
availability of production inputs, short spawn bits and gram powder are applied
cropping cycle and higher market demand have towards the margin in the first two layers while
contributed to its popularity among the the third layer consumes double dose of the
Received on 25 May 2017; Accepted on 04 December 2017
http://epubs.icar.org.in/ejournal/index.php/MR/issue/view

175
 EFFECT OF SUBSTRATE MOISTURE ON THE PRODUCTION OF STRAW MUSHROOM

inputs. However, mushroom production from followed as per standard procedure

the third layer through the top of the bed is not (Purkayastha et al., 1981). The spawned straw
at all satisfactory many a times. The beds were loosely covered by transparent
evaporation of moisture from the bed, their polythene sheets till initiation of fruiting.
condensation underneath the polythene cover Required temperature, humidity, light and
and ultimate accumulation over the top surface ventilation were maintained throughout the
appear to increase the moisture beyond the cropping period. Mushrooms were harvested at
required level. This may have been the cause button/egg stage from a total of two flushes
of lower fruiting from the affected layer, and their fresh weights were immediately
decreasing the overall productivity of the bed. recorded. Biological efficiency (BE) was
The growers don’t give much importance to calculated as a ratio of fresh weight of
this phenomenon, as the yields from such beds mushrooms to the dry weight of straw per bed
are still very much remunerative. This indicates and was expressed as percentage. Data were
that the moisture level particularly of the third analysed statistically.
layer is of significant importance to obtain
higher harvest. Though the optimum soaking RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
period of substrate has been reported by many
workers (Purkayastha et al., 1981; Bhavani The data on the effect of substrate moisture
Devi, 1982; Patra, 1997; Mohapatra et al., 2010; on straw mushroom production were presented
Belewu and Belewu, 2005; Ahlawt and Tewari, in Table 1. It was revealed that a moisture
2007; Pani and Das, 1998), the literature is content of 60 % in the substrate was the
almost wanting on the ideal moisture content optimum to sustain highest yield of mushrooms
of individual layers. Therefore, the present (1214.7 g, 12.1 % BE) compared to other
study was carried out to determine the effect treatments. There was no significant difference
of substrate moisture of different layers in the between 50 and 60 % substrate moisture in
straw bed on the yield of V. volvacea. supporting the mushroom productivity. Dry
straw (without any soaking) failed to produce
MATERIALS AND METHODS any fruiting body. There was excellent mycelial
growth in 50-60 % moisture levels and it took
Well dried paddy straw was soaked in the minimum period (9 days) for initiation of
water for 6 hours (Sahoo, 2014) and excess pinheads. The increase in moisture content
water was drained off. Then it was subjected from 10 to 60 % was directly proportional to
to steam sterilization for 30 minutes. First the increase in yield. However, there was a
experiment was conducted to study the effect gradual reduction in yield as the moisture content
of varied substrate moisture on straw was increased from 60 to 90 %. There was no
mushroom production. Different moisture fruiting in saturated moisture (100 %) condition.
content of the substrate such as 0 (dry straw,
without soaking), 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, Mushrooms possess an absorptive type of
90 and 100 % were maintained in the substrate nutrition. Therefore, the substrate has to be
prior to spawning. In another experiment, the soaked in water for softening and to make the
moisture content of the top/covering layer was nutrients, mainly cellulose and hemicellulose, to
maintained at 10, 20 and 30 % while the be hydrolysed easily so that they are easily
remaining layers were allowed to retain normal available to the mushroom mycelia. Substrate
60 % moisture. Mushroom cultivation was with 50-60 % moisture was found to be ideal

176
 BK PANI et al.

Table 1. Effect of moisture content of straw on the production of straw mushroom

Moisture content Intensity of Days for Yield BE(%)

of straw (%) spawn run pinning
Sporophore Weight Avg. weight of
No. (g) sporophore(g)

0 - - - - - -
10 Poor 11 20.0 300.5 15.2 3.0
20 Poor 11 51.0 644.1 12.62 6.4
30 Poor 10 52.5 725.1 13.8 7.2
40 Good 10 60.7 987.6 16.27 9.8
50 Excellent 9 76.5 1201.4 15.72 12.0
60 Excellent 9 79.3 1214.7 15.31 12.1
70 Good 11 59.9 812.4 13.5 8.1
80 Poor 11 24.5 289.2 11.8 2.8
90 Very poor 12 10.1 98.7 9.7 0.9
100 - - - - - -
CD (0.05) - - - 121.7 - -

for higher yield. However, anaerobic condition fruiting or complete failure of the crop
due to high substrate moisture might have (Ahlawat, 2011). Substrate devoid of any
suffocated the mushroom mycelia and the soaking (0% moisture) did not yield any
developing pinheads resulting in very limited fruiting, ostensibly due to stiffness of the straw

Table 2. Effect of moisture content of top layer of beds on the production of straw mushroom.

Moisture Moisture Days for Yield (g) BE (%)

content of content of pinning
top/ covering remaining
layer (%) layers (%)
1st layer 2nd layer 3rd Layer Total Per cent
(I) (II) ( III) (I+II+III) increase /
decrease
over control

0 (Dry straw) 60 9 496.8 (52.9)* 431.2 (45.9)* 10.4 (1.1)* 938.4 -17.7 9.3
10 60 10 432.0 (42.2) 389.0 (38.0) 200.1 (19.5) 1021.5 -10.4 10.2
20 60 10 567.0 (43.6) 425.1 (32.6) 331.5 (25.4) 1300.2 +13.9 13.0
30 60 10 500.1 (35.3) 452.6 (31.9) 463.7 (32.7) 1416.4 +24.1 14.1
40 60 9 489.5 (38.2) 489.4 (38.2) 300.2 (23.4) 1279.1 +12.1 12.7
50 60 10 499.8 (41.5) 514.3 (42.7) 189.4 (15.7) 1203.5 +5.5 12.0.
60 (Control) 60 9 450.1 (39.4) 560.4 (49.1) 96.2 (8.4) 1140.7 - 11.4
CD (0.05) - - - - - 108.1 - -
*
Data in parentheses indicate percentage of total yield

177
 EFFECT OF SUBSTRATE MOISTURE ON THE PRODUCTION OF STRAW MUSHROOM

and unavailability of nutrients for the CONCLUSION

mushroom mycelia.
Based on the findings of the present
The moisture content of top/covering layer investigation, it is recommended that instead of
induced varied productivity of individual beds having uniform moisture (60 %) in all the
(Table 2). A moisture content of 30 % in the layers, 30 % moisture in the top layer and 60
covering layer + 60 % in remaining three layers % in the remaining layers of the cuboidal straw
was found to be ideal in sustaining maximum beds should be maintained for achieving
fruiting at the top (463.7 g, 32.7 % of total yield) higher production of straw mushroom.
leading to significantly higher overall
productivity of the bed (1416.6 g, 14.1 % BE). REFERENCES
There was 24.1 % increase in yield compared
to the normal practice of having 60 % moisture 1. Ahlawat, O.P. 2011. Cultivation of paddy
in all the layers in a bed. It was observed that straw mushroom (Volvarielaa volvacea). In
the top layer of a straw bed, having the same Mushrooms cultivation, marketing and
moisture status as other layers, produced very consumption, Manjit Singh, Bhubnesh
sparse or no fruiting. This adversely affected Vijay, Swet Kamal and G.C. Wakchaure
the overall productivity of the bed. (eds), Pp. 145-154, Directorate of
mushroom Research, Chambaghat, Solan.
After preparation of beds, they were 2. Ahlawat, O.P. and R.P. Tewari, 2007.
covered with transparent polythene sheets for Cultivation technology of paddy straw
8-10 days or till initiation of pinheads. The mushroom (Volvariella volvacea). Technical
purpose was to retain the bed temperature, bulletin, 36 p, National Research Centre for
conserve substrate moisture, act as a barrier for Mushroom (ICAR), Chambaghat, Solan, HP.
the outside contaminants and provide a higher
concentration of carbon dioxide ideal for the 3. Anonymous, 2016. Annual Report of AICRP
vegetative growth of the edible fungus. After on Mushrooms, OUAT, Bhubaneswar.
about 2-3 days, the moisture started
evaporating, slowly accumulated underneath 4. Belewu, M.A. and K.Y. Belewu. 2005.
the polythene cover and eventually falling Cultivation of mushroom (Volvariella
down on to the top layer. The higher/ volvacea) on banana leaves. African J
saturated moisture status of top layer might Biotechnol 4(12): 1401-1403.
have caused an anaerobic condition
5. Bhavani Devi, S. 1982. Studies on the
detrimental to both mycelial growth as well as
edible mushrooms of Kerala with special
the emerging pinheads. Rotting of the top layer
reference to paddy straw mushroom,
was also observed. More surface moisture on
Volvarilella spp. PhD thesis, Kerala Agril.
the pinheads also resulted in physiological
Univ, Kerala, India.
rotting as well as bacterial spoilage (Sharma
and Kumar, 2011). All these factors might have 6. Mohapatra, K.B., B. Behera and S.S.
contributed towards reduced fruiting on the Mahapatra. 2010. Influence of spawn
top layer leading to decline in overall quality on biological efficiency of paddy
productivity of the bed. straw mushroom, Volvariella volvacea.
Indian J Mushrooms 28(1&2): 8-12.

178
 BK PANI et al.

7. Pani, B.K. and S.R. Das. 1998. Influence Orissa. PhD Thesis, Orissa Univ. Agril.
of soaking period and spawn dose on the Technol., Bhubaneswar.
production of paddy straw mushroom
(Volvariella spp.). Geobios 25: 87-91. 10. Sharma, V.P. and Satish Kumar. 2011.
Competitor moulds and diseases in
8. Purkayastha R.P, S. Biswas and A.K. Das. mushroom production and their
1981. Factors affecting productivity of management. In: Mushrooms cultivation,
paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella marketing and consumption, Manjit Singh,
volvacea). Indian J Mushroom 7: 26-30 Bhubnesh Vijay, Swet Kamal and G.C.
Wakchaure (eds), Pp. 155-174,
9. Sahoo, A.K. 2014. Studies on Directorate of mushroom Research,
improvement of biological efficiency of Chambaghat, Solan.
straw mushroom (Volvariella spp.) in

179