MUSHROOM CULTIVATION
1. INTRODUCTION
Cultivation of mushroom has been in in vogue for almost 300 years. Growing mushroom under controlled condition is of recent origin. Its popularity is growing and it has become a business which is export oriented. Today mushroom cultivation has been taken up to many states in india. Mushroom is an excellent source of protein, vitamin, minerals, follic acid and is a good source of iron for anemic patient.
Mushroom are of difrent type
1) Button mushroom
2) Oyester
3) Paddy straw mushroom
All
types of button mushroom is the most popular one mushroom cultivation
can be done at cottage and small-scale levels beside large-scale
farming.
2. MARKET POTENTIAL
The main customer of mushroom are Chinese food restaurant, households. In big cities, mushroom are sold through vegetable shops. The growing domestic and export market as also the delivery and food value provides extensive and good potential for cultivation for mushroom.
3. TECHNICAL DETAILS
a) Manufacturing process
Preparation of mushroom seed(spawn): Span are available in markets. If desired the same can be produced and sold commercially.
Compost preparation: there are several mixtures for compost formation and anyone that suits the entrepreneur can be chosen. It is prepared using wheat/paddy straw into which various nutrients are added. In synthetic compost wheat straw is supplemented with nitrogen nutrients, organic and inorganic. In organic compost, horse dung is added. The compost can be prepared by long or short composting method. Only those who have pasteurizing facility can employ short cut method. In long method 7-8 turns at regular intervals are required for a period of 28 days. Good compost is dark-brown, ammonia free, little greasiness and having 65-70% moisture.
Spewing (mixing compost with spawns): For mixing spawn with compost any of the
three procedures can be followed:
. Layer spewing: Compost is divided into equal layers and spawns spread in each layer.
Result is spawning in different layers.
.Surface spewing: 3 to 5 cms of compost is remixed, spawns spread and covered with
compost.
. Through spewing: Spawns are mixed with compost and pressed.
A bottle of spawns is good enough for 35 kg of compost spread over 0.75 sq.mt. area
(about 2 trays). That is, spawn to compost ratio is 0.5%.
Trays are then arranged in tiers in the cropping room and covered with newspapers.
2% formalin is sprinkled over them. Desired room temperature is around 18'c with
95% humidity.
. Casing: spawned compost is covered with sterilized hay, chalk powder etc.
. Mushroom growth: Besides temperature and humidity mentioned above, proper room
ventilation should be ensured.
. Cropping: Mushrooms prop up in 30-35 days. These fungal fruit bodies appear in
flushes and harvested when buttons are tightly closed. In a cropping cycle of 8-10
weeks an average yield of 10 kg mushroom/sq metre is feasible. Cropped mushrooms
can be packed for marketing.
i.) Production target: 8000 kg per annum
ii.) Utilities: Power: nominal
Water: Abundant supply - required