Comparative study of oyster mushroom cultivation by physical and chemical method of sterilization

Abstract

Mushroom is a crop which is cultivated in many countries using different agricultural wastes. Oyster mushroom can be cultivated by using two types of substrates such as sawdust, straw. Effect of different sterilization techniques of substrate on yield of P. sajor caju, an experiment was laid out by treating paddy straw substrate with hot water, steam and chemicals. No treatment was subjected to the control. The experiments were laid out in completely randomized block design with six replication and four treatments viz. T1 = In hot water treatment-substrate after presoaking for four hours, was immersed in hot water (80 0C +5 0C) for one hour, T2= In steam sterilization treatment, presoaked substrate was rapped in gunny bag and autoclaved at 15 lbs p.s.i. for one hour., T3 =In chemical sterilization, substrate was immersed in 75ppm carbaendazim (50 w.p.) + 500 ppm formaline (40%) solution for 18 hours and T4= In control treatment – substrate steeping was done in plane water for 18 hours. During the both year experiment results are indicated that the treatment of chemical sterilization of substrate enhanced the spawn run which was completed in 21 days as compared to control (23 days) during both the years. It was followed by hot water substrate treatment (22 days) and steam sterilization of substrate (23 days) during both the years. The first harvest was also hastened 2 days by chemical sterilization followed by steam sterilization. As regards yield, all the treatments produced significantly higher yield than control. Chemical treated substrated produced maximum and significantly higher yield (420.00g and 418.0g) than other treatments during both the years.