Mushroom and its cultivation in India (2023)

In this article we will discuss about mushrooms and their cultivation in India.

meaning of mushrooms:

mushrooms arethe fruiting bodies of basidiomycete fungi and are specifically called basidiomas (sing, basioma). They form only during certain periods of the year when conditions are favorable, and they are brightly colored. Mushrooms can be edible or inedible, poisonous or non-poisonous.

Poisonous mushrooms are popularly known as 'poison mushrooms'. The simple mushroom has the fruiting body that looks like an umbrella. The fruiting body contains spores that are invisible to the naked eye. These spores fall on the substrate, germinate under suitable conditions and send out root-like exploratory strands of mycelium in all directions. Gradually, the fruiting body of the fungus appears as a small white ball.

As it grows larger, a stem (stipe) is produced, and later the cap (pileo) begins to open like an umbrella tearing off the delicate membrane or veil (or velum).

Inside the cap, delicate gills (or lamellae) develop that somewhat resemble the spokes of a wheel radiating from the stem. The gills turn dark in color as spores appear on them. When they reach maturity, the cap of the mushroom begins to flatten. The spores are eventually released into the soil in their millions.

Although millions of spores are produced and distributed, most of them do not survive due to unavailability of favorable conditions and other factors. Even when the spores germinate, their mycelium is very sensitive and can be attacked by other fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes. In fact, even when the growth is firmly established, there are seasons when only a few fungi survive in the field.

Why are mushrooms eaten?

Why have mushrooms become popular as a food? Is it due to the changing eating habits of modern people under current circumstances, or have people developed some special attraction to them? Mushrooms are becoming popular not only for their taste and taste, but also for their nutritional value.

Like many other vegetables, mushrooms contain a high proportion of water in addition to other components. They generally contain more protein (about 51%) than many other comparable fruits or vegetables (dry weight) and as such can be claimed to be a "protective food".

Mushrooms are known to be one of the best plant sources of nicotinic acid and riboflavin (vit. B₁₂), a good source of pantothenic acid and a good source of vitamins B, C, K, biotin and thiamine. It appears from the literature that its vitamins are well retained during the cooking, canning, drying and freezing processes.

In some cases, linoleic acid has been found to be the major fatty acid component. The carbohydrate contents, however, vary between 28 and 76%. In addition, mushrooms, being completely devoid of starch, are an ideal dish for diabetic patients.

They also contain an adequate amount of minerals, lipids, and folic acid. Like many vegetables, they can be stewed or battered, fried or sandwiched, used in soup or “puréed”, in sauce, and also in roasted tomatoes stuffed with mushrooms.

Commercial Mushroom Production:

Today, mushroom cultivation is carried out commercially in many countries and world production of mushrooms is estimated at over 300,000 metric tons. As stated above, only a few species are commercially cultivated compared to the number of fungi known.

The most commonly cultivated mushrooms are: Volvariella volvacea (the rice straw mushroom) in India, China, and Southeast Asia; Agaricus brunnescens (A. bisporus; the bottom fungus), trade name of the wild species A. campestris because the latter, when artificially cultivated, shows notable alterations in its morphology and physiology; Lentinus edocles (Shii-take) in China and Japan.

Straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) is grown on straw, Shii-take mushroom (Lentinus edodes) on logs and button mushroom (Agaricus brunnescens) on composted horse manure.

In Europe and North America, mushroom growing has become a huge industry; In Britain and the US, large quantities of mushrooms are available for canning and food manufacturing, as well as for direct consumption. Several million pounds of Shii-take are produced annually in Japan and China.

mushroom cultivation in india:

In India, mushroom cultivation is in progress. Impressive work is being done in states like Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. Our country is endowed with two distinct climates and seasons, namely winter and summer. Accordingly, we can divide the cultivation of mushrooms and we can easily grow them under natural conditions almost all year round.

Volvariella spp. (Paddy Straw Mushroom) can be grown in summer when the temperature ranges between 28°C and 49°C; Pleurotus spp. (Dhingri) can be grown in winter when the temperature is 20° to 30°C; and Agaricus bisporus (Mushroom) can be grown in winter when the temperature ranges between 15°C and 25°C.

1. Culture of rice straw fungus (Volvariella spp.):

The steps involved in the cultivation of the rice straw fungus are: choice of the substrate, preparation of the bed and cultivation, aftercare of the beds, harvesting and marketing.

Choice of substrate:

Rice straw is considered the best; others that can be used are wheat straw, jowar, maize, rye straw, biogases from sugar cane, tobacco and banana leaves.

Bed preparation and cultivation:

Firstly, hand-harvested rice straw, 3-4 feet long, well-dried and disease-free, is taken to prepare its bundles, 35 bundles of rice straw are required for one bed and each bundle should have a weight from 1 to 1.5 kg. . The packets are soaked in water for 8 to 16 hours, removed from the water, washed with fresh water, and the excess water is allowed to drain off. (Figure 37.2).

Now, a bed is made by placing four layers of rice straw bundles one on top of the other; each layer contains 8 packets. The seed bottle is opened and raked with a wool or glass rod. Now the roe is sprinkled by hand around the edge of the bed about 10 cm. from the edge and continuing up to 23 cms. inside. Therefore, the central part has been left for spawning in the first layer.

The dusted seed is covered with a light coating of 'besan' (gram powder). The second, third and fourth layers are also prepared in the same way as in the case of the 1st but the difference with the 4th layer is that the spraying of the seed is carried out on the entire surface instead of the periphery as in the case from the rest of the layers.

The layer must also be dusted with the gram powder and must be covered with a thin layer of straw up to 8 cm. thickness. This is also done with the remaining three bales of straw.

After bedding care:

The water is sprayed 2-3 times in hot days and 1-2 times in rainy season. If necessary, 0.1% Malathion and 0.2% Ditano Z-78 are sprayed to combat insects, pests and other diseases.

Harvest and Marketing:

Culture begins 10-12 days after spawning and lasts up to 15-20 days. The mushroom is harvested at the bud stage or just after crown rupture by twisting so no broken pieces remain in the beds, otherwise bacterial rot usually starts and spreads to other healthy mushrooms.

After harvesting, mushrooms must be used within 8 hours or kept at 10-15°C for 24 hours, otherwise they will go bad. One can keep them for a week in the refrigerator.

Fresh mushrooms are dried in the sun or even at 55-60°C for 8 hours. After drying, they are packaged and sealed, otherwise they absorb moisture that spoils them. Mushroom canning is preferred only in the button state. However, one can find 3-4 kg. yield/mushroom bed.

2. Dhingri Cultivation:

The steps involved in the cultivation of dhingri (Pleurotus spp.; Fig. 37.3) are: choice of substrate, bed preparation and cultivation, aftercare of beds, harvesting and marketing.

Choice of substrate:

Chopped rice straw is best; Others can be crushed corn cobs, wheat straw, rye straw, dried and pulverized grasses, compost used in growing mushrooms and wood logs, etc.

Bed preparation and cultivation:

The chopped rice straw is soaked in a tank of water for 8 to 12 hours, taken out and washed again with fresh water, and excess water is allowed to drain off. Now the substrate is filled in wooden trays of approximately 1 x 1/2 x 1/4 meter. The entire surface of the substrate filled with trays is sprinkled with seed.

After laying is complete, the tray is covered with a polyethylene sheet and water is sprayed once or twice a day or as needed to maintain sufficient humidity in the tray.

However, the fruiting bodies of the mushrooms, usually called flushed mushrooms, begin to appear after 10 to 15 days and the polyethylene sheet is removed when the mushrooms begin to appear. Mushroom production continues up to 1-11/2 months (30-45 days) after the appearance of the first mushroom flush.

After bedding care:

Water is sprayed as and when needed; the temperature and relative humidity are kept at 25 ± 5°C and 85-90% respectively in the production room; aeration is provided; and 0.1% malathion and 0.2% ditane Z-78 are sprayed to control insects, pests and other diseases.

Harvest and Marketing:

The mushroom is harvested when the crown reaches about 8-10 cm. in diameter. Harvesting is done by twisting so that no broken pieces remain on the trays, otherwise microbial rot usually begins and spreads to other fungi.

Harvested mushrooms are dried in the sun or in an oven at 55-60°C for 8 hours. After drying, they are packaged, as otherwise they absorb moisture and spoil. However, yields of 3-4 kg/tray can be found.

3. Mushroom cultivation:

The steps involved in growing mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus; (Fig. 37.4) are: substrate and its preparation, bed preparation and harvest, post-bed care, and harvest and marketing.

(i) Substrate and its Preparation:

The preferred substrate for growing mushrooms in our country is wheat compost or rice straw.

Compost-Ingredients:

Wheat straw 300 kg, wheat bran 25 kg, ammonium sulfate 9 kg, superphosphate 3 kg, urea 3 kg, muriate of potash 3.5 g, gypsum 30 kg. sawdust 30 kgs., zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) 10 gms., lindane or pelusa or gamma B.H.C. one kilo and malathion 200 c.c.

Compost preparation:

The soil on which the compost is prepared must be made of cement and clean concrete, provided with a roof to avoid rain and the temperature due to sunlight. Now, first of all, the wheat straw is moistened for about 48 hours. Wheat bran, ammonium sulfate, superphosphate, urea, and muriate of potash are mixed into sawdust.

This mixture (called a fertilizer heap) is properly watered for about a day. The next day, the mix is ​​mixed with the irrigated wheat straw and piled in a neat pile 11/2 x 1 x 1 meter in size. It is well watered but the water should not seep from below. If possible, this pile is covered with a polyethylene sheet. The temperature of the sheep in the flock rises to 78°C on the second to third day.

Compost Turning:

The first turning is done on the sixth day. Compost about a foot deep is discarded from the outside and top and piled to one side. Again the same process is repeated until a new stack is found. Meanwhile, add a little water so that no dry stain remains.

Sometimes the compost medium turns white due to excessive heat produced. White compost is known as 'fire fang'. The second turning is similar to the first and takes place on the 10th.

The third turning is carried out on day 13 and 10 kg of gypsum are added during this. This fourth, fifth turning is carried out on days 16 and 19 respectively and 10 kg of gypsum are added in each of the two turnings. The sixth flip takes place on the 22nd.

If the smell of ammonia comes out, give the compost two more turns so that there is no smell of ammonia. However, in this compost the rest of the ingredients, 200 c.c. of malathion and one liter/kg of fluff, are added to prevent insect infestation.

(ii) Bed preparation and cultivation:

The compost is now filled into wooden trays, each 1 x 1/2 x 1/4 meter, up to 16-18 cm, firmly pressed and lightly watered. The trays are arranged one above the other in tiers in the pasteurization room. The temperature in the pasteurization room is raised to 60 °C and is maintained for a period of approximately two days, after which the trays are transferred to the production room, which has a temperature of 24 °C.

Small pieces of commercially produced roe are inoculated into the compost bed. After spawning, the bed is covered with clean, clean newspaper moistened with water. It is important that the newspapers are always wet. Good white cottony growth is observed on the surface of the compost under the newspaper after 10-15 days. The newspaper is removed after 20 days and now the trays are 'cased'.

Lining denotes the covering of beds with soil. The lining soil can be prepared with three parts of common soil and one part of sand (with a little peat if available), and of natural pH, i.e. 7. The soil is sterilized/semi-sterilized before lining to a pressure of approximately 20 pounds for two hours or more. by heating in a drum to a temperature of approximately 90°C or by the use of a 5% formalin solution.

Underlayment is laid over beds up to 3/4 – 1″ high. The tubed trays are irrigated by sprinkler. However, lining the beds is essential as it induces the formation of fruiting bodies.

It takes about a month to get the fruiting bodies to appear in the beds. Temperature below 15 °C favors the production of fruiting bodies, so the temperature in the production room should be kept below said temperature after fruiting bodies start to appear in the beds.

(iii) After bedding care:

Humidity is maintained at around 70-80%. It is necessary to water twice a day with a very fine spray, keeping the nozzle up and letting the drops fall very slowly. After 10 days it can be sprayed with 0.1% lint and 0.2% Dithane Z-78 to prevent insects and other pathogens etc.