Mushroom Spawn Production

Unlike agriculture, mushroom seed (Spawn) production involves sophisticated technology

with high investment requiring laboratory and equipments with accessories. The major
constraint in mushroom production is nonavailability of spawn. The technology of spawn
production is given by Eco-care and Aware. Three roomed house with some equipments,
furniture, glasswares, chemicals and some other accessories are required to start spawn
lab. Keeping in view of demand for mushroom, it is urgently needed to have one spawn lab
in each block. If 50 to 100 mushroom growers will be developed in a cluster of villages to
grow minimum one quintal to two quintals of mushroom per day, one spawn unit can be set
up there to feed the spawn to these mushroom growers. Each spawn producer should have
its own mushroom production farm to know the efficacy of his own spawn as well as
demonstrate the mushroom production technology to others which will promote the sale of
spawn. By this both spawn unit and mushroom farm will be economically viable.


Objectives :

(1) To produce 200 spawn bottles from two shift i.e. 5,000 bottles of spawn assuming 25
working days per month.

(2) To create income of Rs. 30,000/- per month from spawn & mushroom farm.

REQUIREMENT FOR SPAWN UNIT

A. Land and building

Four roomed building will be essential to state spawn lab. one room will be used to multiply
fungus which is called inoculation chamber with another room will be devoted to prepare
media for culture tube an spawn bottle or which it is called media room. It can be used as
media for culture tube an spawn bottle or which it is called media room. It can be used as
media cum office room. Fourth room will be kept as store room. The incubation chamber will
be air tight fitted with light and U.V. Light. The maintenance of aseptic condition in
inoculation chamber is must for production of quality spawn. Initially incubation chamber
can be made in ordinary room keeping some iron rocks to accommodate spawn bottles.
After wards air conditioning machine can be fitted to maintain desired temperature.

1. Total Plinth area of spawn Lab 25' 12' = 300sq. ft.
2. Inoculation chamber - 8' 7' = 56 sq. ft.
3. Ante room - 4' 7' = 28 sq. ft.
4. Incubation Chamber - 12' 8' = 96 sq. ft.
5. Office cum Media room - 10' 8' = 80 sq. ft.
6. Store room - 10' 4' = 40 sq. ft.

B. Equipment and Machineries


(a) Auto clave :

One autoclaves are required to sterilize the media in culture tube and wheat medium in
spawn bottles.(operated by both electricity and gas)

(b) Furniture : To keep spawn bottle or pouches, some iron racks are needed in incubation
chamber. One table, with two stools are to be kept in inoculation chamber. One long table
will be kept in media room along with some stools.

(c) Accessories :

(i) Weighing balance will be useful for weighing the chemicals required for preparing media
and for spawn production.

(ii) Chula with cylinder : To boil wheat and to prepare media for culturing. Chula with
Cylinder are necessary.

(d) Glass wares, chemicals and raw materials : culture tube, innoculation needle, measuring
cylinder, dextrose, plastic busket, Agar agar, Formaldehyde, Cotton, Wheat.

How to Grow Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus SP.)
on Straw in Plastic Bags
September 19, 2011 AgriBusiness 2 Comments

9 8 709


Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus sp.) are a delicious and
nourishing food, with a nutritional value similar to that of meat
or fish. This technology makes full use of rice straw, a common
crop residue which might otherwise have no economic value.
Preparing the Straw
The straw should be soaked in a container of limewater. The
limewater contains 2 kg of slaked lime per 100 kg dry straw, with
as much water added as is needed to just cover the straw. The straw
is left in the limewater for half an hour, so that it is thoroughly soaked.
The straw is then piled up on a cement floor and covered with plastic or sacking. The top of the pile should be
left uncovered. The straw is left to ferment for 7 10 days. During this time, it will begin to ferment and
become hot.
The straw is turned once every three days, first from the top downwards, then from the bottom upwards, then
from the inside outwards, and finally from the outside inwards.
The moisture content of the straw can be checked by rolling a handful of straw into a ball and squeezing it
tightly. If your hand is wet, the straw has the proper moisture content. If your hand remains dry, you should
add more water.
Bagging and Culturing the Spawn
Preparing the Spawn
Mushroom spawn must be purchased commercially, unless it is provided by an extension center. Around 2.5 to
3.0 kg of spawn are needed for 100 kg of straw. Open the container and press it gently, to make sure all the
spawn has been emptied out. You can improve the germination rate by mixing the spawn with rice husk, at a
ratio of 1:1.
Filling the Bags
Plastic bags measuring 20 x 30 cm, or 18 x 25 cm, are used as mushroom beds. Open the bag and put a handful
of straw inside it. Press the straw down tightly, to make a layer 3 5 cm thick at the bottom of the bag. Spread
the spawn/rice husk mixture around the edges of this layer (but dont put any in the middle). This makes the
first straw-spawn layer.
Continue to add 3 4 additional layers in the same way until you have nearly filled the bag. Put a final layer of
straw on top, so the top of this final layer is 5 7 cm below the mouth of the bag.
Put a clean piece of cotton in the mouth of the bag. This makes a ventilation hole, and filters out harmful
microoganisms. Then close the mouth of the bag with a rubber band.
Tie the bags each to other with nylon rope (3 5 bags per rope) and hang them in the mushroom house. The
mouth of each bag should be pointing upwards. The bags should not touch each other, but should be a few
centimeters apart.
The Mushroom Crop
Looking after the Bags
The bags should be covered, sheltered from wind and light, but with good ventilation.
After 25 30 days, mycelium will develop throughout the bag. Use a sharp knife to cut 4 6 slits in the sides
of the bag. Each slit should be 3 5 cm long, and an equal distance from the other slits. The cuts should not be
in a line around the bag, as this will weaken the bag.
After the bags have been cut, they should be sprayed with water two or three times a day to keep the
mushrooms moist. Be careful not to give them too much water. No water should collect inside the bag.
Take the cotton out of the mouth of the bag and suspend the bags on a wire or rope, with the mouth of the bag
pointing downwards.
Soon the mushrooms will begin to appear in the slits, looking like small round buttons. As soon as these begin
to appear, move the bag to the growing/harvesting area. The bags should be placed 7 10 cm apart.
Harvesting the Mushrooms
The first oyster mushrooms can be harvested 7 10 days after the bag is cut. After the mushroom are
harvested, stop spraying water for several days. When the button mushrooms begin to appear again, begin to
spray the water again. This cycle can be repeated three or four times, giving a total harvest of 50 80 kg (fresh
weight) of oyster mushrooms from 100 kg of straw.
Cooperating agency for this topic:
Department of Agriculture and Forestry Extension,
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam
Fax: (84 4) 823 6403, 2002-05-01
Source: agnet.org

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Mushroom Cultivation Using Rice Straw As a
Culture Media
September 25, 2011 AgriBusiness No comments

2 0 195


Rice straw is abundant in most Asian countries where rice is a major crop, and can be purchased for a
reasonable price. Rice straw can be used as the basic material for mushroom cultivation. Mushrooms are
capable of breaking down organic material that other microorganisms cannot decompose. The common field
mushroom and many other types of mushroom (Agaricus spp.) grow well on compost made from rice straw.
Effectiveness of the Technology
Mushroom production can generate a good income for farmers, and utilize surplus manpower in rural
areas. The organic matter left over after mushrooms have been cropped on rice straw can be recycled onto
cropland as organic fertilizer.
Explanation of the Technology
Rice straw can be used as the main substrate for mushroom cultivation. First, it should be composted. To
improve the nutrient content, materials such as chicken manure, rice bran, urea, and gypsum may be mixed
with the straw. For each ton of dry rice straw, growers can add 100 kg of chicken manure, 50 kg of rice bran,
12 15 kg of urea, and 10 kg of gypsum. The rice straw is prepared by composting.
Outdoor Composting
Pre-Wetting
Dry rice straw is cut to a length of 10 20 cm, and soaked with water (for 2 3 days in spring, six months
after the straw has been cut, and 1-2 days in autumn, immediately after the rice harvest).
Stacking and Turning
The compost must be stacked and left to mature for 15 20 days in autumn, and 20 -25 days in spring. During
this time, the compost must be kept moist and turned repeatedly.
The purpose of turning the compost is to make sure that the materials are thoroughly mixed, and that there is
an even moisture content throughout the stack. Turning also helps regulate the temperature. When the
temperature in the center of the stack rises to more than 70
o
C, the compost should be turned.
Indoor Mushroom Beds
Usually, the culture bed is filled with about 110 kg of compost per square meter.
Pasteurization and Conditioning
Once the compost has been put in the bed for mushroom production, it should be pasteurized by allowing the
heat to rise to 58 60
o
C for 4 6 hours. Afterwards, the temperature should be kept at 48 55
o
C for 6 8
days, to allow the compost to mature.
Spawning of the Mushrooms
When you are ready to sow the mushroom spawn, the temperature of the compost should be reduced as quickly
as possible, from 48 50
o
C to less than 25
o
C. The spawn needs to be spread in several layers. Thirty percent of
the spawn should be spread on the bottom third of the compost, 30% of the spawn on the middle third of the
compost, and 30% of the spawn on the top third of the compost. The final 10% of the spawn should be spread
over the surface of the remaining compost. From an economic point of view, the optimum quantity of spawn is
2-3 kg (6 8 pounds) of spawn per 300 kg of compost.
After spawning, the temperature of the compost must be kept at 25 28
o
C. The humidity of the air should be
around 90 95%. The bed will be completely filled with mycelium after 10 15 days.
Soil Preparation and Casing
A casing material to enclose the mushroom bed is prepared by mixing clay loam and peat at a rate of 8:2 (v/v).
The optimal pH of the casing soil is 7.0 7.5.
To kill harmful mold and other microorganisms, casing soil should be sterilized by steaming it for 5 6 hours
at 60 65
o
C, or 1 hour at 80
o
C.
The casing for the compost and spawn should be around 2.5 3.0 cm thick. After casing, the optimal
temperature for mycelial growth is 25 28
o
C.
Caring for and Harvesting the Crop
It is very important to provide proper ventilation and water, and to maintain suitable levels of temperature and
humidity for the mushrooms. At harvest, the air temperature should be maintained at 15 16
o
C.
Note: After all the mushrooms are picked, the mushroom-growing chamber and its contents should be
sterilized with steam and then emptied, to prevent any pathogen from contaminating the next crop.
Cooperating agency for this topic:
National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (NIAST)
Rural Development Administration (RDA)
Suwon, Republic of Korea, 2002-03-01
Source: agnet.org


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