Saturday 30 June 2012

Mushroom Development Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation in Assam, supports small-scale farmers to cultivate, produce and market mushroom as a livelihood opportunity.

Despite agriculture being the mainstay of majority of the population, farmers in the north-east region remain the most exploited in the entire workforce. Lack of access to the organised market combined with the decreasing size of land holdings and high rate of unemployment, economic deprivation continues to exist in the region. To address this economic situation, the Mushroom Development Foundation (MDF), a not-for-profit organisation, started working towards spawn production, training of farmers, and marketing of mushrooms to leverage the available resources.
MDF has encouraged many small scale agricultural farmers to practice mushroom cultivation to sustain themselves and created a strong network to further their interest in this agricultural activity. The MDF model follows a cluster based approach in which a Cluster Coordinator supervises a group of about 100 farmers in mushroom cultivation, planting materials and marketing activities. A Cluster Monitoring Committee, comprising of experts in the field, is responsible for all the clusters in the northeast. The farmers are the prime stakeholders and based on their interests, decisions are made to cultivate fine mushroom products. The clusters are also linked to the rural shops for easy access to the market.

MDF is presently working in various villages of Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. It has plans to replicate its efforts in neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Bangladesh due to similar climatic and geographic conditions. MDF has given farmers a strong collective voice with which they can negotiate for a minimum price in the market, basic facilities from the government, and loans for expanding their businesses. It believes that the success of mushroom farmers will pave the way for other farmers to organise themselves and demand their rights.

How To Grow Mushrooms At Home In India - Mushroom cultivation at home in india

Mushrooms are not plants because they do not photosynthesize like how plants do. Moreover, they also lack chlorophyll making it impossible for them to produce their own nutrients. Mushrooms are both edible and non-edible. The edible ones are rich in proteins and yummy too. However, there are many species of mushrooms that are very poisonous and harmful. Mushrooms are best when eaten fresh. Therefore, one can think of growing them at home in order to enjoy the fresh taste of mushrooms anytime one wants to. Nevertheless, mushroom farming is a time consuming and delicate business and requires a lot of patience and care. A damp, moist, dark and humid place is what a mushroom loves to grow in, and with little care you can get a good yield of these delicious fungi in your very own basement room or garden shed. This article will give you tips on how to grow mushrooms in the comfort of your own home. Read on to learn more.

Growing Mushrooms

You need to allot a separate place in your home for mushroom farming. Mushrooms give out Co₂ and therefore it is better to use a garden shed or a basement to grow mushrooms. Using a basement room or a garden shed will ensure sufficient space for mushroom farming and will also make it possible to maintain the required temperature and humidity.
You can make use of certain equipments in order to control the temperature and humidity suitable for mushroom farming. You can use an electric vaporizer, a portable fan, few wooden trays, regular lights, plastic bags and a wire basket to grow mushrooms.
Once you have decided upon the place for farming and once all the gear is at your disposal, it is time for you to select the variety of mushrooms you would like to grow. Button mushrooms, oyster, portabella, shiitake, enoki etc are some of the easy to grow mushroom varieties you can choose from. These varieties can either be grown with the help of spawns or by using mushroom growing kits.
Mushroom spawns are similar to plant seeds. Mushrooms produce spores which are also used by some cultivators to farm mushrooms of the same family. The spores are collected and then immunised into sterilized grains in order to develop the spawn cultures. These developed spawn cultures are then cultivated on organic compost which provides the required nutrients to the mushrooms as they cannot produce nutrients for themselves because they lack chlorophyll.
You can either purchase a mushroom kit to save time and energy or you can make your own compost. You will have to combine together plant waste like crushed straw and corn cobs along with coffee grounds or nitrogen supplements in order to form your own compost.
Once you have bought the kit or have made your compost, it’s time to steam the wire basket or boil it in hot water for a few hours in order to pasteurize it. The pasteurization of the wired basket is important to get rid of the microbes and pests in the compost. After boiling it for a few hours, drain out the water and let the compost cool in a wooden tray. Once the compost is back to normal temperature, sprinkle the spawns over and mix the compost thoroughly. Stuff in the mixture into different plastic bags and seal them tightly.
After sealing the plastic bags with the compost-spawn mixture, cut out small ventilation holes at some distance on the bag making sure to keep the temperature at about 60^o. Put on the fan and vaporizer once the pores are cut out to provide required ventilation and humidity to the compost mixture. Switch off the lights after putting on the fan and vaporizer and let the spawn develop in darkness for about 2-3 weeks.
After 3 weeks you will see that the compost in plastic bags is filled with white filaments. These white filaments are nothing but mushroom roots known as mycelium. Tear off the plastic and cover the mycelium filled compost with peat moss.
This mycelium will give rise to small, tiny pin growths that will sneak out through the covering of peat moss. Some 10-20 days after you covered the compost with peat moss, you will notice that the tiny pins have developed into mushrooms ready to get harvested. You can recycle and reuse the compost in order to grow mushrooms again.

Source: http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/how-to-grow-mushrooms-11075.html

Small Scale Mushroom Growing Business in india

Can mushrooms be grown in plain areas?
Yes, mushrooms can be grown anywhere , proviced
the temperature and humidity requirements are kept in the required range.

What type of climate is suitable for mushroom cultivation?

Mushroom is an indoor crop. The temperature at the time of fruiting is to be kept from 14-18 C and humidity at 85%.

What substrate is used for growing mushrooms?

Mushrooms are grown on compost prepared by mixing wheat/paddy straw, chicken manure, wheat bran, urea, gypsum. The spawn is prepared on wheat grains.

What are the general requirements for mushroom cultivation?

Mushroom being an indoor crop, it requires controlled conditions of temperature and humidity (temperature in the range of 14-18 C and humidity of 85%.

Is mushroom vegetarian or non-vegetarian?

Mushrooms are vegetarian.

What are the benefits of eating mushrooms?

Mushrooms are very nutritious, rich in proteins, fibre and have folic acid content that is uncommon in vegetables and amino acids which are usually absent in cereals.

What is the market potential of mushrooms?

Mushrooms have now become popular, therefore it has a good market potential. White button mushroom can be sold in fresh or canned form and products such as pickle and soup can be made from it. Oyster mushroom can be sold in dried form also.

How can I get rid of mushroom flies?

You can get rid of mushroom flies by screening doors and ventilators with nylon or wire mesh (35 or 40 mesh size), using yellow coloured light trap, and giving preventive spray of malathion or cypermethrin on walls.

From where can I get training regarding mushroom growing?

You can get training regarding mushroom production technology from National Research Centre for Mushroom, Solan or State Agricultural Universities.

What are the products that can be made from mushrooms?

You can make pickle, soup powder, candies, biscuits, nuggets, murabba etc.

Whether the government provides any financial support/subsidies for establishing mushroom units?

NABARD, National Horticulture Board and Banks provide loans for establishment of mushroom units, spawn production units and compost making units.

How many types of edible mushrooms are there?

White button mushroom, oyster mushroom, black ear mushroom, giant mushroom, milky mushroom, shiitake are some of the edible species of mushrooms which can be grown artificially. Morchella, which is collected from the high hills of HP, J&K and Uttaranchal, is also edible.

Do mushrooms suffer from diseases?

Yes, mushrooms suffer from different types of diseases. Some of the major diseases of mushrooms are wet bubble, dry bubble, cob web and moulds (green, yellow, brown).

Wednesday 20 June 2012

Mushroom Recicpes Books in india

Nutritious Mushroom Recipes

Author: Prabhjot Mundhir

Price: Rs. 125.00
Published: 2004
Publisher: Pustak Mahal

Books Discriptions

There goes an old saying: Foods can make or break you.

That is why it is important to include the mushroom, one of greatest natural wonder foods, in one`s diet.

Some varieties have anti-cholesterol and antibiotic properties.

The common variety is full of high quality protein as well as B vitamins.

With its irresistible taste, exotic flavour and rich aroma, delicious mushroom dishes are a healthy alternative to meat dishes.

Keeping the Indian tastes in mind, the author has innovated some easy-to-follow recipes.

The book contains recipes on starters, soups, salads and dishes for the main course.

Highlights:

*Some of the starters and quick stir-fried vegetable dishes of mushrooms are just ideal for tiffin boxes of children, working women and other office-goers.

*Most ingredients used are easily available. To retain natural taste and flavour, spices are used sparingly.

*Unlike some cookery books that are merely compilations, all the recipes presented here are tried, tested or innovated by the author and would be just ideal for daily meals.

*These dishes can easily be a part of any Indian or Continental menu set for special occasions too.

In short, mushrooms used in everyday cooking will help maintain the good health of your loved ones.

About the author:

Prabhjot Mundhir is a freelance journalist for the trade and industry and is known for her expertise in the culinary arts and delicious innovative recipes.

Her vast interest in research of Indian food played an important role in the culmination of a food CD, The Pleasure of Indian Cooking.

She has won various food competitions and is well known for her classes in cookery.

With this book, she aims to present the mushroom as a healthy and delicious food item.

Monday 18 June 2012

TNAU offers course on mushroom cultivation - Mushroom Cultivation training in Tamilnadu

With farmers increasingly growing mushrooms in the state, the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) is offering daylong and five-day classes at its premises here. These courses too have seen a surge in popularity due to the increasing awareness among the public about the benefits of mushroom, say experts.

The daylong training, which covers the basic aspects of growing and harvesting mushroom, happens at TNAU on the fifth of every month or if it is a holiday, on the subsequent working day. The five-day training happens once in two months depending on the availability of trainees. "It is adjusted according to the requests from entrepreneurs," said G Chandresekar, professor and head, plant pathology, TNAU.

As many as 80-100 trainees take part in each daylong course; 320 such courses have been held and 20,000 persons have undergone training at TNAU. Apart from trainees from Tamil Nadu, people from Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh take part in the course. In recent days, the training courses have seen an increase in popularity with as many 150 persons undergoing training. Certificates are given to each participant at the end of the course.

The five-day course trains the participant in all aspects of mushroom growing and harvesting. With a combination of theory and practical classes, hands-on training is also provided. Typical problems faced by farmers and solutions to such issues are also offered during the five-day course. As many as 3,000 farmers have undergone this course.

Among this, two farmers have won the government of India's award for best mushroom producers. They were chosen on the basis of outstanding contribution to the field apart from the quality and quantity of their produce. The award was given to the farmers by the Solan-based Mushroom Research Institute.

Mushroom Farming in Haryana - Harayana rank's third in mushroom production

The State of Haryana ranks third in producing mushroom which has produced 6164 tonnes of mushrooms during the last financial year and it has set a target of producing 7000 tonnes of mushrooms for the current financial year.

Stating this here on Thursday, an official spokesman of the Haryana Horticulture Department said that about 2100 tonnes of mushrooms had been produced upto December 2007 and the department had set another higher target of producing 7250 tonnes of mushroom during the coming the year 2008-09.

The spokesman said that Sonipat district is on the top by producing 2171 tonnes of mushroom while Panipat district stands second with 1100 tonnes and Gurgoan district with 476 tonnes stands third in the State.

He said that the mushroom is a nutritious food containing good percentage of protein, iron, vitamins and salts. Being low on fats and carbohydrates this is an ideal food for heart and diabetic patients respectively.

He said that there were many varieties of mushroom available in the country but only White Button Mushroom, Milky Mushroom and Dingri varieties were being cultivated in Haryana. He said that for the cultivation of mushroom not much land is required and even the landless farmers could take up the cultivation of this crop.

Mushroom Training in Orrisa by Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology

BERHAMPUR: Srinivas Patnaik (40) of the city has proved that education can be a major catalyst for development of agriculture.
He has become a successful entrepreneur of mushroom farming returning to his agricultural roots. He is a sharp contrast to the new generation of youth who dream of flying off abroad in search of employment. This student of life sciences, with a degree in zoology, has never dreamt of becoming a farmer.

After his degree he wanted to be a journalist. He had also joined the mass communication and journalism department of Berhampur University. A piece that he had written for their house journal in 1992 changed his life. “I was assigned to write a feature on scientific mushroom farming taken up by the then head of the department of botany department. The research that I made to write the feature made me interested about the economic viability of mushroom farming,” he said.

In those days mushroom farming was a rarity in Orissa and most of it was being brought here from outside. Srinivas took up the challenge and decided to start scientific cultivation of mushrooms on a patch of land his family had at Mohuda village on the outskirts of the city. He undertook training at the tropical mushroom training centre of the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT). Even today he never forgets to attend workshops and seminars on mushroom cultivation held anywhere in India.

His efforts have brought great results. His farm now produces around one quintal of mushroom every day during winter season and in months of summer average daily production amounts to 50 kg. Srinivas is critical of educated youths not getting interested in agriculture. According to him agriculture in Orissa has suffered as most farmers do not have necessary education to take up scientific cultivation and the agricultural labour consists of mostly illiterates. He hopes more educated youths would take cue and return back to agriculture which is the basic foundation of development for any economy.

Monday 11 June 2012

Types of Mushrooms cultivabale in india

White Mushrooms:White mushrooms, like all mushrooms, grow from microscopic spores, not seeds. Plants growing from spores are called fungi. A mature mushroom will drop as many as 16 billion spores. Spores must be collected in the nearly sterile environment of a laboratory and then used to inoculate grains or seeds to produce a product called spawn (the mushroom farmer’s equivalent of seed).

Because mushrooms have no chlorophyll, they must get all their nutrients from organic matter in their growing medium. The medium, called compost, is scientifically formulated of various materials such as straw, corn cobs, cotton seed and cocoa seed hulls, gypsum and nitrogen supplements. Preparing the compost takes one to two weeks. Then it’s pasteurized and placed in large trays or beds. Next the spawn is worked into the compost and the growing takes place in specially constructed houses where the farmers can regulate the crucial aspects of heat and humidity.

In two to three weeks, the compost becomes filled with the root structure of the mushroom, a network of lacy white filaments called mycelium. At that point, a layer of pasteurized peat moss is spread over the compost. The temperature of the compost and the humidity of the room must be carefully controlled in order for the mycelium to develop fully. Eventually, tiny white protrusions form on the mycelium and push up through the peat moss. Farmers call this pinning. The pins continue to grow, becoming the mushroom caps, which are actually the fruit of the plant, just as a tomato is the fruit of a tomato plant. It takes 17 to 25 days to produce mature mushrooms after the peat moss is applied. Size is no indication of maturity in mushrooms. Perfectly ripe ones vary from small buttons to large caps.

Each crop is harvested over a period of several weeks and then the house is emptied and steam-sterilized before the process begins again. The remaining compost is recycled for potting soil. The harvested mushrooms are set in carts, refrigerated and then packaged and shipped quickly to supermarkets, food processors and restaurants. The entire process from the time the farmer starts preparing the compost until the mushrooms are harvested and shipped to market takes about four months.

Crimini Mushrooms:

Crimini mushrooms are grown and harvested in the same manner as the white mushroom. The reason they have a darker color and slightly denser texture is that they come from a different strain of spores.

Portabella mushrooms:

Portabella mushrooms are also grown like the white mushrooms. Actually, the portabella is a mature crimini. It’s usually three to seven days older than the Crimini when harvested. As a result of their longer growing period, portabellas develop much larger caps, ranging up to six inches in diameter.

Oyster Mushrooms:

Oyster mushrooms, like other mushrooms, are grown in mushroom houses, but they require a bit more humidity and fresh air than the white variety. They grow well on a range of agricultural and wood waste products, including hardwood chips, chopped cereal straws or corn cobs. After the growing medium is pasteurized and cooled, it is inoculated; that is, mixed with spawn and packed into long, tubular shaped plastic bags. Holes are punched in the bags to allow the mycelium to breathe and the bags are hung up or set on racks in the growing rooms. After about 14 days, the mushrooms pop out through the holes and can be harvested. If straw is used as a growing medium, the substrate can be used as fertilizer after mushroom production is completed.

Shiitake Mushrooms:

Shiitake mushrooms were originally cultivated on natural oak logs, a process which took two to four years before the mycelium colonized the wood sufficiently to produce fruiting. Shiitakes were harvested on a seasonal basis (spring and fall) for about six years. Now, however, oak sawdust is packed into poly bags, sterilized, inoculated with spawn and placed in environmentally controlled rooms. These man-made “logs” produce shiitakes in seven weeks. The total process, from spawning to the end of harvesting, takes about four months as compared to the six-year cycle on natural logs.

Enoki Mushrooms:

Current technology uses automated systems to fill plastic bottles with substrate usually ground corn cob pellets along with other ingredients such as wheat bran and soybean meal. The bottles are sterilized, inoculated with the mushroom culture and placed in growing houses. When the substrate is fully colonized with mycelium, the bottles are moved to an area where a plastic collar is attached to the mouth of the bottle. This collar guides the forming mushrooms to grow straight up to help control carbon dioxide. enokis require a colder environment, 45 degrees, compared to growing temperatures of about 60 degrees, which other varieties require. After about 90 days, the mushrooms are harvested. The collars are removed, the Enokis plucked from the mouth of the bottle and usually packaged in shrink-wrapped bags. The remaining substrate is recycled, since enokis only produce one set of fruiting bodies per crop.

Beech Mushrooms:

In some ways, growing beech mushrooms is similar to growing enokis. Plastic bottles are sterilized, inoculated with mushroom culture and then placed in growing houses to allow the substrate to colonize with the mycelium. However, beeches require a temperature of 60 to 64 degrees in order for the culture to fully develop. It takes about 100 days to produce a mature crop. Afterward, the mushrooms are harvested and packaged for sale. Since beeches only produce one set of fruiting bodies per crop, the remaining substrate is recycled for agri-business products.

Maitake Mushrooms:

The cultivated maitake starts out as a mushroom “culture”- a piece of mushroom tissue grown on special sterile media in a petri plate in a laboratory. The culture is used to make mushroom spawn- a series of steps to make a lot of mushroom tissue out of a little. The mushroom spawn is used to inoculate maitake production logs, which are made out of sawdust supplemented with grain byproducts such as bran. The logs go through a “spawn run” where the mushroom spawn colonizes the sawdust and supplements and knits them together in a solid mass. This takes about 30 days. The logs are incubated in special mushroom houses with temperature, humidity and air flow carefully controlled. Once the logs start to pin ( small mushrooms begin to form) the logs are moved into “fruiting” houses which are also very carefully controlled to provide the best environment for mushroom formation. Like the enoki mushroom, maitake produces only one time, then the substrate is recycled into agri-business products. The whole process from lab to table takes from 10 to 14 weeks

How to cultivate Pleurotus ostreatus in india

Oyster mushroom is particularly suitable for complete beginners because of its vigorous mycelia growth. Because of that it is resistant to moulds and other competitors growing on the substrate and is one of the most easily cultivated mushrooms.

Caps of this mushroom are grey in color and can achieve up to few decimeters in diameter. They become pale when old, but are darker in color when grown at lower temperatures.

Cultivation

Wood can be inoculated with plug spawn or grain spawn. If inoculation was carried out in the early spring and the wood was incubated in a warm and shady environment, we can expect the mushrooms to form in the late autumn. Usually mushrooms form in colder, rainy parts of the year.

Cultivation on wood is the most effective when carried outdoors. Larger logs or stumps inoculated with oyster mushroom spawn can produce mushrooms up to 15 years. They can be left outside all year round although mycelium is resistant to low temperatures (frost).

Oyster mushroom cultivation on straw is faster and more often used in commercial mushroom production. Colonization of the straw with mycelia takes two to three weeks at optimal temperature. After colonization mushrooms begin to form. Three to four flushes of mushroom can be harvested from the straw based substrate.

Growth parameters for oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Substrate colonization
temperature	20 - 24 oC optimal, slower at lower temperatures
light	not needed
duration	6 - 10 months on wood 14 - 21 days on straw
Primordia formation
temperature	8 - 15 oC
relative humidity	95 - 100 %
duration	3 - 5 days
light	diffuse light necessary
Mushroom formation
temperature	10 - 21 oC strain dependent
relative humidity	85 - 90 %
duration	4 - 7 days
light	necessary (no direct sunlight!)

Broadleaf hardwoods are suitable for cultivation: cottonwood, alder, ash, beech, birch, elm, poplar, willow, aspen and others. Conifer wood is not suitable for cultivation of this species!

How to clean and store Mushrooms

Mushrooms are perishable products. So we have it keep it in hygienic way for long lasting freshness.Nutrient-dense and savory, mushrooms complement nearly all of your favorite meals.

Follow these tips to be sure mushrooms taste as good as they should.

Selecting:

Purchase mushrooms that are firm with a fresh, smooth appearance.
Surfaces should be dry, but not dried out, and appear plump.
A closed veil under the cap indicates a delicate flavor, while an open veil and exposed gills mean a richer flavor.

Storing:

· Store mushrooms in their original packaging or in a porous paper bag for prolonged shelf-life.

· Some mushrooms may keep for up to one week in the refrigerator.

· Fresh mushrooms should never be frozen, but frozen sautéed mushrooms will keep for up to one month.

Cleaning:

Brush off any peat moss with your fingers or a damp paper towel, or rinse the mushrooms briefly under running water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Do not soak mushrooms in water as they easily absorb moisture.
If the stem is tough, trim it before using. For shiitakes, stems should be removed before use.
For portabellas, gills may be removed upon preference, as they store a large amount of moisture. Many people prefer to keep the gills intact for more flavor.

Project Report on Oyster Mushroom Cultivation

1.  INTRODUCTION

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sp.) belonging to Class Basidiomycetes and Family Agaricaceae is popularly known as ‘dhingri’ in India and grows naturally in the temperate and tropical forests on dead and decaying wooden logs or sometimes on dying trunks of deciduous or coniferous woods. It may also grow on decaying organic matter. The fruit bodies of this mushroom are distinctly shell or spatula shaped with different shades of white, cream, grey, yellow, pink or light brown depending upon the species.

It is one of the most suitable fungal organisms for producing protein rich food from various agro-wastes or forest wastes without composting.

2. OBJECTIVE

The main objective of the exercise is to present a small scale viable bankable model production unit using modern technology.

3. BACKGROUND

3.1 Origin

Cultivation of a sp. of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) was initiated on experimental basis in Germany by Flack during the year 1917 on tree stumps and wood logs. Growing technology was perfected in USA by Block, Tsao and Hau.

Cultivation of different varieties of oyster mushroom was initiated in India in the early sixties. Commercial cultivation began in mid-seventies.

3.2 Botanical Description

The oyster mushrooms have three distinct parts- a fleshy shell or spatula shaped cap (pileus) , a short or long lateral or central stalk called stipe and long ridges and furrows underneath the pileus called gills or lamellae. The gills stretch from the edge of the cap down to the stalk and bear the spores. The spores are smooth, cylindrical and germinate very easily on any kind of mycological media within 48-96 hrs. The mycelium of Pleurotus is pure white in colour.

3.3 Production

Oyster mushrooms are the third largest cultivated mushroom. China, the world leader in Oyster production, contributes nearly 85% of the total world production of about a million tonnes. The other countries producing oyster mushrooms include Korea, Japan, Italy, Taiwan, Thailand and Phillipines. The present production of this crop in India is only around 1500 tonnes due to low domestic demand. Another inhibiting factor is that export demand orders are large and can be met only if a linkage is developed between producer, cooperatives and exporters.

3.4 Economic Importance

The economic importance of the mushroom lies primarily in its use as food for human consumption. It is rich in Vitamin C and B complex and the protein content varies between 1.6 to 2.5 percent. It has most of the mineral salts required by the human body. The niacin content is about ten times higher than any other vegetables.

The folic acid present in oyster mushrooms helps to cure anemia. It is suitable for people with hyper-tension, obesity and diabetes due to its low sodium : potassium ratio, starch, fat and calorific value. Alkaline ash and high fibre content makes them suitable for consumption for those having hyperacidity and constipation. A polycyclic aromatic compound pleurotin has been isolated from P. griseus which possess antibiotic properties.

The spent straw can be re-cycled for growing oyster mushroom after supplementing with wheat or rice bran @ 10-15 % and also for preparing compost of white button mushroom after suitable supplementation with nitrogen rich horse or chicken manure (sun-dried before use). The spent straw can be used as cattle feed and also for bio-gas production, The slurry can be used as manure.

4. MARKET ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY

4.1 Demand and Supply Patterns

This mushroom is not as popular as white button mushroom in the domestic market. A few units are cultivating it commercially for export market. Cultivation of this mushroom on commercial basis would be more profitable as compared to white button mushroom as capital costs are low.

The cultivation of this variety of mushroom is very simple and economical in rural areas where raw materials and facilities required are easily available.

Marketing of fresh oyster mushroom does not pose any problem at present due to very low production. However, as production increases linkage of producers with domestic markets and export oriented processing units will need to be developed to ensure remunerative prices to the producers.

Generally, export orders are too big to be met by a single grower and as such co-operatives have to be encouraged to pool their produce for trading the crop in a dried powder form in international markets.

4.2 Import / Export Trends

About 11,797 tonnes of fresh mushrooms and 4,099 tonnes of preserved mushrooms were exported to foreign countries viz. U.S.A., France, Ireland, U.A.E., Russia etc. during the period 2001-2002. The quantity of oyster mushroom exported is much lower than that of button mushrooms which constitute the major share of exports.

4.3 Analysis and Future Strategy

Species of Pleurotus are cheapest and easiest to grow among all the cultivated edible mushrooms. Cultivation does not require complicated substrate preparation technique as in case of button mushroom. The former can be grown on non-fermented, almost fresh plant residues (agri-wastes containing lignin and cellulose). Substrate preparation does not require controlled environmental conditions as in case of button mushroom.

The crop has got a number of varieties varying in shape, colour, texture and aroma which can be cultivated throughout the year under varied agro-climatic conditions. Faster growth rate and early cropping is observed. About 5 to 6 crops can be taken in a year as the total cropping period is 60 days.

5. PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

5.1 Agro-climatic Requirements

Oyster mushroom can grow at moderate temperature ranging from 20 to 30⁰ C and humidity 55-70% for a period of 6 to 8 months in a year. It can also be cultivated in summer months by providing the extra humidity required for its growth. In hilly areas above 900m. (m.s.l.), the best growing season is during March/April to September/October and in the lower regions from September/October to March/April.

5.2 Growing and Potential Belts

The major states in India producing this mushroom are Orissa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and most of the North Eastern hill states.

5.3 Varieties Cultivated

Among all the cultivated mushrooms Pleurotus has maximum number of commercially cultivated species suitable for round the year cultivation. All the varieties or species of oyster mushroom are edible except P. olearius and P. nidiformis which are poisonous. Species commercially cultivated all over the world during summer months includes P. flabelltus, P. sajor cajo, P. sapidus, P.membranaceous, P.citrinopileatus, P.eous etc. and those produced during winter are P.ostreatus, P.florida, P.cornucopiae, P.fossulatus, P.eryngii etc.

5.4 Cultivation Technology

The procedure for oyster mushroom cultivation can be divided into following four steps:

(i) Preparation or procurement of spawn

(ii) Substrate preparation

(iii) Spawning of substrate

(iv) Crop management

5.4.1 Spawn Preparation

A pure culture of Pleurotus sp. is needed for inoculation on sterilized substrate. It takes 10-15 days for mycelial growth on cereal grains. It has been reported that jowar and bajra grains are superior over wheat grains.

5.4.2 Substrate Preparation

Oyster mushroom can be cultivated on a large number of agro-wastes having cellulose and lignin which helps in more enzyme production of cellulose that is correlated with more yield. These include straw of paddy, wheat and ragi, stalk and leaves of maize, millets and cotton, used citronella leaf, sugarcane bagasse, saw dust, jute and cotton waste, dehulled corncobs, pea nut shells, dried grasses, sunflower stalks, used tea leaf waste, discarded waste paper and synthetic compost of button mushrooms etc. It can also be cultivated by using industrial wastes like paper mill sludges, coffee byproducts, tobacco waste, apple pomace etc.

The popular methods of substrate preparation are:

· Steam Pasteurization;

· Hot Water Treatment;

· Sterile Technique (Till method);

· Fermentation or Composting; and

· Chemical Sterilization.

5.4.3 Spawning of Substrate

Freshly prepared (20-30 days old) grain spawn is best for spawning. Old spawn (3-6 months) stored at room temperature (at 20-30⁰ C) forms a very thick mat like structure due to mycelium aggregation and sometimes young pinheads and fruit bodies start developing in the spawn bottle itself. The spawning should be done in a pre-fumigated room (48hrs.with 2% formaldehyde).

5.4.4 Crop Management

(A) Incubation

Spawned bags, trays or boxes are arranged in a dark cropping room on raised platforms or shelves for mycelium colonization of the substrate. Although mycelium can grow from 10 to 33⁰ C, but the optimum temperature for spawn running lies between 22 to 26⁰ C.

(B) Fruiting

When the mycelium has fully colonized the substrate, the fungus is ready for fruiting. Contaminated bags with moulds may be discarded while bags with patchy mycelial growth may be left for few more days to complete mycelial growth.

While various species require different temperature regimes all require high humidity (70-85%) during fruiting. Frequent spraying of water is required in the cropping room depending upon the atmospheric humidity. Fruit body produced under humid conditions (85-90%) is bigger with less dry matter while those developed at 65-70% relative humidity are small with high dry matter.

CO₂concentration during cropping should be less than 600 ppm. or 0.6%. Sufficient ventilation has to be provided during fruiting.

5.5 Plant Protection Measures

5.5.1        The crop is suspect to attacks from flies (sciarid, cecid) spring tails and mites.  Timely spraying with insect specific insecticides is needed.

5.5.2 The crop is prone to fungal diseases. Several competitor moulds e.g. Aspergillus sp., Cladosporium sp. and Fusarium sp., Rhizopus sp. have been reported to occur in the substrate used for cultivation. Spraying with Bavistin or Benomyl is a recommended control measure.

5.5.3 The crop is also subject to diseases like yellow blotch, brown spot and bacterial rot, control measures which are needed include:

· Proper management of temperature and humidity during growing period.

· Regular application of chlorinated water containing 100 – 150 ppm of freely available chlorine at an interval of 3 – 5 days

· Application of oxytetracycline and streptocycline.

5.6 Harvesting and Yield

The right shape for picking can be judged by the shape and size of the fruit body. The fruit bodies should be harvested before spore release, by twisting so that the stubs are not left on the beds (straw). It is advisable to pick all the mushrooms at one time from a cube and the next flush will appear at one time.

More than 500 kg. of fresh mushrooms per ton of dry wheat or straw can be obtained in case of crop produced in 45-60 days.

6. POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT

6.1 Storage

(A) Short-term Storage

Fresh mushrooms are packed in perforated polythene bags which are directly sent to the local market situated nearby. Freshly harvested mushrooms can be stored at low temperature (0-5⁰ C) for 1-2 weeks without loss in quality in case it is to be sent to the distant markets.

(B) Long-term Storage

Dried mushroom with 2-4% moisture, can be stored for 3-4 months in sealed pouches without any change in taste. The dried produce can be rehydrated in luke warm water (40-50⁰ C) within 20-30 mins. giving 80-90% of original weight.

6.2 Packing and Transportation

Fresh mushrooms are packed in perforated polythene bags. Poly pouches containing crushed ice and overwrapped in paper are put in trays/baskets which are then covered with thin polythene sheet with sufficient perforation for proper aeration. The pre-packed pouches (250 or 500 g.) can be transported by roadways in trucks, buses depending upon the quantity to be transported.

6.3 Marketing

Domestic marketing does not pose a problem at present because only small quantities are being traded. As production develops, marketing promotion measures will need to be undertaken to bolster the demand.

Export potential exists and needs to be taken advantage of by organizing cooperatives of producers linked to commercial units for processing fresh mushroom into dehydrated powder for export.

7. SOURCES OF TECHNOLOGY

(i) National Centre for Mushroom, Chambaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh-173213, [Tel: (01792) 30451,30767]

(ii) Plant Pathology Division, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar, University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan, Nauni – 173230, Himachal Pradesh,

[Tel: (01792) 225 2315, 225 2344]

8. ECONOMICS OF A SMALL SCALE MODEL

8.1 High quality commercial cultivation of the crop even on a small scale is a viable proposition as it is in good demand both in domestic and foreign markets. The economics of a small unit with annual production of 400 kg is brought out below:

Costs & Returns:

8.2 The cost components of such a model along with the basis for costing are exhibited in Annexures I. A summary is given in the figure below. Inclusive of 5% contingencies, the project cost works out to around Rs.50 thousand.

(Rs. In thousands)

Project Cost	Amount
Land & Site Development	21.47
Building	15.00
Plant & Machinery	11.90
Contingency	1.42


Total	49.79

8.3 The major components of the model are:

· Land Acquisition & Development: (Rs. 21.47 thousand): On an average the cost of land can be put at Rs. 20 thousand in rural areas/forest areas in States like Uttaranchal, NE Hilly States etc.

· Building (Rs. 15.00 thousand): This is the cost of high density polythene sheet growing room of 300 sq.ft.

· Plant & Machinery (Rs. 11.90 thousand per annum): This is the cost of setting up a sprayer room acquiring galvanised tubs, iron racks and thermometers.

8.4 Recurring Production Cost (Rs. 6.83 thousand): Recurring production costs are brought out in Annexure II. The main components are raw material like wheat straw or rice bran, chemicals, cost of power & water and packaging material etc. Labour costs have been computed at Rs. 80 per man-day. These can, however, vary from location to location depending upon prevailing wage level or minimum statutory wages fixed. Recurring costs work out to Rs. 6.83 thousand per annum.

Returns from the Project:

8.5 The yield from this unit would be 400 kgs. per annum. Valued at Rs. 40 per kg. the gross return would be Rs. 16 thousand per annum. Annexure III gives profitability calculations.

Project Financing:

8.6 Balance Sheet: The projected balance sheet of the model is given at Annexure IV. There would be three sources of financing the project as below:

Source Rs.Thousand

Farmer’s share 24.9

Capital subsidy 10.0

Term loan 14.9 Total 49.

Expected Income -Gross profit works out to Rs. 9.2 thousand per annum.