CULTIVATION OF BUTTON MUSHROOM

(Agaricus bisporus)
BY
A.BHARANIDEEPAN
13-513-301
SYSTEMIC POSITION
KINGDOM : Fungi
PHYLUM : Basidiomycota
SUBPHYLUM : Agaricomycotina
CLASS : Agaricomycetes
ORDER : Agaricales
FAMILY : Agaricaceae
GENUS : Agaricus
SPECIES : bisporus
PRINCIPLE
CHARACTERISTICS OF
BUTTON MUSHROOM
It is a temperate mushroom, 24
o
C is optimum for cultivation.
It produces a basidiocarp with a white to brown or grey- brown cap, free
gills, an annulus but no volva and a stalk that readily separates from the cap.
Gill may light in colour but turns chocolate brown on maturity.
It derives carbon by decomposing lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose and
microbial protein is chief source of organic nitrogen for its assimilation.
Requires 20-28
0
C for vegetative growth (spawn run) and 12-18
0
C for
reproductive growth.
Compost Formulations
Suggested For Button
Mushroom Cultivation
1) Wheat straw
Wheat bran
Chicken manure
Urea
Gypsum
BHC (10%)
300 kg
15 kg
125 kg
5.5 kg
20 kg
125 kg
2) Wheat and paddy straw
Calcium ammonium nitrate
Urea
Wheat bran
Gypsum
BHC (10%)
300 kg
9 kg
4 kg
25 kg
20 kg
125 kg
Formula given by N.R.C.M.,
Solan
COMPOST PREPARATION
Long method of composting (LMC)
Short method of composting (SMC)

LONG METHOD OF
COMPOSTING
It takes about 26 days and 7 to 8 turnings are given at varying intervals
without pasteurization.
The long method of composting reduces the nutritional value of compost.
It may be easily attacked by weed moulds, pathogens, insects, mites and
nematodes. However, this method is more popular with small growers who
cannot afford boiler for pasteurization.
(Long method)
Wheat straw
Calcium ammonium nitrate
Super phosphate
Urea
Sulphate of potash
Chicken manure
Brewers manure
Gypsum
Calcium Carbonate

1 ton
30 kg
25 kg
12 kg
10 kg
400 kg
72 kg
30 kg
10 kg
Formulae given by Mushroom Research Laboratory,
Solan.
PREPARATION OF STRAW
The straw is stacked and watered in layers making a heap, 48 hours before
the start of compost making.
The mixture of straw and fertilizers is watered separately in a small heap 24
hours in advance of composting day (0 day).
0 day:

Mix the wet mixture of fertilizers and straw with straw thoroughly
Moisture content of straw should be 75-77%.
Wooden mould should be used and pressing should be given from top.
Increase in height may cause anaerobic fermentation and low height will
result in loss of heat.
The temperature of the heap will rise to 65- 70
o
C on second day.

6
th
day: The first turning is given.

10
th
day: Second turning is given. Chalk powder (calcium carbonate) is
added during turning. Do watering if required. Pressing of heap should be
reduced.

13
th
day: Third turning is given and gypsum is added.

16
th
day: Fourth turning is given

19
th
day: Fifth turning is given and care should be taken to avoid lumps.
Pressing is not required.


22
nd
day: Sixth turning is given. By now ammonia smell should disappear or
it should be very low. Water if required.

25
th
day: Seventh turning is given. Spread the compost on platform, break
lumps if any and stack. Do watering if moisture is less.

26
th
day: Compost is mixed with BHC (5%) dust and filled in trays. In case
ammonia smell is still noticed, one more turning should be given before filling
the trays.


At the proper filling stage compost will be dark brown in colour. It must be
free from ammonia and moisture content should be 68-72% and pH 7.2 7.8


SHORT METHOD OF
COMPOSTING
This is the most popular method for commercial production of European
mushroom.
It is completed in two phases,
Phase I called out-door composting takes 7-12 days
Phase II called indoor pasteurization has 3-7 days duration.
In this method filling is more and yield performances is high with
efficient disease control
PHASE I
0 day: At this stage moisture content should be 75-77%.
2
nd
day: First turning and do watering if required.
4
th
day: Second turning, add gypsum and do watering if needed.
6
th
day: Third turning
8
th
day: Fourth turning
10
th
day: Fifth turning
12
th
day: Compost is filled in trays for phase II. At this stage compost colour
will be dark brown with strong smell of ammonia. Moisture content should be
70-72%.

Mushroom Research
Laboratory, Solan.

Wheat bran
Molasses
Gypsum
Nemagon
Wheat straw



100 kg
16.6Lit
100 kg
166 ml
1000
kg
PHASE II
It help in complete fermentation of the compost.
Uniform layers of compost in trays enables proper aeration and
temperature control during the fermentation.
Pasteurization at 60
o
C during this phase eliminates unwanted
microbes, nematodes, mites and insects.

Once temperature is about 252
o
C spawning is done. The moisture contents of
compost should be 67-70%.


SPAWNING
Spawning means putting spawn i.e. mushroom mycelium coated on
sterilized substrate or grain in the compost. Spawn run temperature is 23
2 c.
Six methods of spawning are employed.
1. Surface spawning
2. Layer spawning
3. Through spawning
4. Spot spawning
5. Active mycelium spawning
6. Shake up spawning

SURFACE SPAWNING
The top compost in the tray is lifted to a depth of 1-2 inches and spawn is
broadcasted and ruffled with fingers into 1-2 inches of compost. When
ruffling is completed it is covered with lifted compost and pressed uniformly.
In this method one spawn bottle (500ml) will cover three trays.

LAYER SPAWNING
In this method spawning is done in layers. First layer is spawned at about 3-
3 down from the top and next layer is spawned as done in surface
spawning. One spawn bottle is sufficient for two trays.
THROUGH SPAWNING
This is done by mixing grain spawn evenly and throughout the compost. One
spawn bottle is used for one to two trays.

SPOT SPAWNING
The grain spawn is put in the holes at a certain distance with a pointed stick
or fingers. The hole is covered with compost. The inoculum should be in
close contact with the compost for quick and better development.

ACTIVE MYCELIUM
SPAWNING
The compost after the completion of spawn running is used for spawning
further trays. Thus one such tray is used for several trays.
SHAKE UP SPAWNING
After one week of spawning the compost is thoroughly shaken up and
replaced in the shelves or in trays. After spawning, compost should be
covered with newspapers, sterilized by dipping in 2% formalin solution.
CASING
The term casing means covering the compost with a layer of soil or other
materials which may retain moisture and help in gaseous exchange.
The following materials have been used
oSoil and sand(1:1)
oRotten cow dung and light soil (3:1)
oFarm yard manure and gravel (4:1)
oFarm yard manure and loam (1:1)
oSpent compost, sand and lime (4:1:1)
oPeat and soil (1:2)

Characteristics Of A Good
Casing Material
1) It should have good water holding capacity and should release it slowly
2) It should possess good aeration capacity so that it removes unwanted
gases during cropping.
3) It should be free from insects, micro-organisms heavy metals and ions.
4) Its texture should not be altered by watering.
5) It should be neutral or slightly alkaline in reaction.
6) pH should range between 7-7.5.

Pasteurization Of Casing
Material
1. Steam Pasteurization
2. Chemical Pasteurization (5% formalin solution )

Application Of Casing Material
Fully impregnated trays are cased with casing material after removing
newspaper in uniform layer of 1-1 thickness.
At the casing time, material should be a little moist and of crumbling
nature.
After casing, the temperature should be maintained at 23-24
o
C for 8-10
days and R.H. 85-90%. This is required for faster growth of mycelium in
casing layer
After this, lower down the temperature and maintain at 16+2
o
C. Fresh air
should be introduced and R.H. should be 85-90%.
Pinheads start appearing after 12-15 days of casing and cropping continues
for about 2-3 months.
Mushrooms are picked in the button stage itself (closed) once or twice a
day when they are 1-1 in diameter.
These are taken out gently by twisting and disturbing the casing soil as little
as possible.
Cut the soil portion and clean the mushroom with soft cloth and pack in
perforated polythene bags for marketing.
Holes left in the beds after picking are filled with sterilized casing materials.


YIELD
The first crop comes after 3 weeks after casing.
Short method of composting yields 15 20 kg/100 kg of compost.
Long method of composting yields 10 14 kg/100 kg of compost.

Bio efficiency is 20%
THANK YOU