*Vikas Kumar, 1Subha Chandra, M.P., 1Shancy, S.C., 1Sabnam, V.S. and 1Lamya, T.V.
*Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara
*Kerala Agricultural University, KAU, Thrissur, Kerala 680656, India
1Dept. of Microbiology, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Thrissur, Kerala
Email: vkskumar49@gmail.com
Received-05.03.2015, Revised-24.03.2015
Abstract: Mushroom cultivation has enormous potential to improve food security and income generation, which in turn can help boost rural and peri-urban economic growth regularly. These mushrooms grow on sawdust, wood, cereal straws or millet like wheat, bajra, jowar and rye mixed with calcium source (chalk-powder and gypsum). The substrates for cultivation of these mushrooms were steam pasteurized/sterilized, and no chemicals/pesticides were used during the cultivation of these mushrooms. Almost all the specialty mushrooms are lignicolous mushrooms, meaning lignin loving. The medium is sterilized after in heat resistant glass bottles or polypropylene bags at 121°C and 15 lbps pressure or for 2 hours at 100°C and inoculated with pure primary culture of Agaricus bisporus. The medium is incubated at 25°C and soon gets impregnated with mushroom mycelium. Sphagnum peat moss is the most commonly used material for casing. Harvestable mushrooms appear 18 to 21 days after casing.
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