ARD

TOPIC - AGRICULTURE

MASTER NOTES PART VII (Part II Horticulture) AS PER SYLLABUS

Plantation & Horticulture: Definition, meaning and its branches. Agronomic practices
and production technology of various plantation and horticulture crops. Post-harvest
management, value and supply chain management of Plantation and Horticulture
crops

You Tube Lectures on these topics can be accessed through following Links

Overview of Horticulture: https://youtu.be/p_fhpV4sn3E

1 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
Contents
1 Production Technology of Vegetable Crops .................................................................. 3
1.1 Tomato .............................................................................................................................. 3
1.2 Brinjal ................................................................................................................................. 3
1.3 Chilli ................................................................................................................................... 3
1.4 OKRA ................................................................................................................................. 4
1.5 Cole crops........................................................................................................................ 4
1.6 Onion ................................................................................................................................. 6
1.7 Cucurbits .......................................................................................................................... 6
1.8 Legumes ........................................................................................................................... 7
2 Highlights of Plantation crops ............................................................................................. 8
3 Post Harvest .......................................................................................................................... 14
3.1 Supply Chain Management ...................................................................................... 14
3.2 Fruit Beverages .............................................................................................................. 16
3.3 Preservatives .................................................................................................................. 17
3.4 Preserving methods...................................................................................................... 17
4 Mushrooms ............................................................................................................................ 17

2 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
1 Production Technology of Vegetable Crops
Not too many questions are asked from this part so we will restrict our information to most
important points only which will serve the purpose

1.1 Tomato
Origin Peru
Type of fruit Berry
Variety Arka Ruby, Arka Vikas, Arka Rakshak, Arka Vardhan,
Arka Saurav, Hisar Lalit, Flavr Savr
Season of sowing May - June and November – December
Seed Rate Varieties : 300-350 g / ha
Hybrids : 100-150 g / ha
Disease Damping off, Leaf spot, Leaf curl, Root nematode
Physiological Disorder Fruit Cracking (Ca & Bo Deficiency), Blossom End rot
(Ca deficiency), Cat face(Unfavorable conditions)
Pest Fruit borer, White Fly
Duration 110- 115 days from transplanting (135 - 140 days from
sowing)
Yield Varieties : 30 - 40 t / ha
Hybrids : 80 - 95 t / ha

1.2 Brinjal
Variety Pusa purple long, Pant samrat, Aad Kranti, Arka
sheel, Arka Nidhi
Hybrid Pusa rituraj, Pusa Bindu, Pusa Upkar, Pusa Navneet
(Highest yielding, Arka Neelkant (Nematode
resistant)
Sowing Season December – January and May – June
Seed rate Varieties : 400 g / ha
Hybrids : 200 g / ha
Spacing Varieties : 60 x 60 cm
Hybrids : 90 x 60 cm
Harvest Harvest can be done 55 – 60 days after transplanting.
Fruits are harvested at tender stage at 4 – 5 days
intervals.
Yield Varieties:25 to 30 t/ha
Hybrids:60 - 80 t/ha

1.3 Chilli
Red colour Capcyanthin
Pungency Capsaicin

3 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
 Variety Arka lohit (Powdery mildew resistant), Arka Mohini,
California wonder, Pusa Jawala (Thrip resistance),
Jawalmukhi (High density Planting)
Seed Rate Varieties: 1.0 kg / ha.
Hybrids: 200 - 250 g / ha.
Nursery area: 100 sq.m / ha
Spacing Varieties : 60 x 45 cm
Hybrids : 75 x 60 cm
Harvesting Harvesting can be done 75 days after transplanting.
First two picking yield green chilli and subsequently
yield red ripe fruits.
Yield Varieties : 2 - 3 t/ha of dry pods or 10 - 15 t/ha of
green chillies.
Hybrids : 25 t / ha of green chillies.
Major Pest Thirips
Fruit drop fixed by applying NAA

1.4 OKRA
Season Planting can be done during June - August and
February
Seed Rate Varieties : 8.0 kg / ha
Hybrids : 2.5 kg / ha
Spacing Seeds are sown at a spacing of 45 x 30 cm.
Pest Fruit Borer, Leaf hopper, White Fly and Aphids. Yellow
vein mosaic is due to Virus transmitted by White Fly
Variety Arka Anamika, Pusa Sawani, Varsha uphar (White fly
resistant), Pusa Makhmali, Arka Abhay
Harvest Harvesting can be done 45 days after planting. Fruits
are harvested in tender stage at 1 – 2 days intervals.
Yield 12 - 15 t/ha

1.5 Cole crops

Cole crops meaning Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, Brocolli

Variety Cabbage: Hills - Quisto.

Plains - Golden Acre, Maha Rani.
Pusa Mukta (Black rot resistant), Pusa
drumhead (Black leg resistant),
Copenhagen market & Pride of India
(Early variety)
Cauliflower:
Hills: Ooty 1, Pusa Dapoli, Cuba Giant,
Snow ball, Second early, Early kunwar

4 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
 and Second early kunwar are the
popular cultivars.
Plains: Early Synthetic, Pawas, NS131,
Tropi cross Marval, Patna mid season
and Arka kanti are the popular cultivars.
Pusa Snowball (Late variety)
Sowing Hills- The crop can be planted during
January – February, July – August and
September – October.
Plains - August – November is suitable
season.
Seed Rate Cabbage: 650 g/ha of seeds is required.
Cauliflower: 375 g/ha seeds are
required.
Nursery About 100 sq.m nursery area is required
for raising plants for one hectare area
Cabbage: Transplant 40 - 45 days old
seedlings at a spacing of 45 cm. Avoid
land infected with ‘club root disease’.
Cauliflower: Transplant 30 to 40 days old
seedlings at a spacing of 45 cm. Avoid
land infected with ‘club root disease’.
Protected Nursery Raise the seedlings in shade net house. A
nursery area of 5 cents with a slanting
slope of 2% is required for the production
of seedlings for 1 ha.
Protrays Around 600 protrays are required for the
production of 28.333 seedlings required
for one hectare at spacing of 60x45x45
cm in three row planting
Spacing Hills : 40 x 40 cm
Plains : 45 x 30 cm
Hybrid : 60x 45x45cm in paired row
system
Planting Cabbage: 30 – 40 days old seedlings are
selected for planting. Hardening of
seedlings is done by withholding
irrigation 4 - 6 days prior to planting.
Cauliflower: Sow the seeds in raised beds
and transplant 25 days (early varieties),
45 days old seedlings (late varieties) at
45 cm apart
Pest Cut Worm, Diamond Black Moth (DBM){
Grow mustard as intercrop as 20:1 ratio to attract
diamond back moths },
Disease Club root, Black spot, Ring spot

5 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
 Physiological Disorder Browning or brown rot (Bo Deficiency),
Whip tail (Mo Deficiency), Buttoning (N-
Deficiency), Blindness (Low
temperature)
Yield Cabbage: Hills : 70 – 80 t/ha in 150
days. Plains : 25 – 35 t/ha in 120 days.
Cauliflower: Hills : 20 – 30 t/ha
Plains : 15 – 20 t/ha
Some Points
 All cole crops are Protogynus (that are born female and at some point of their
life span change sex to males)
 Edible part of Cauliflower – CURD & Cabbage – HEAD
 Fruit of cabbage is Siliqua
 Blanching is done in cauliflower for preservation
 Riceyness in cauliflower (loose curd) is due to high temperature, High
Nitrogen application
 Hollow stem is due to excess nitrogen

1.6 Onion
Variety RABI: Pusared, Pusa Nasik, Arka Bindu,
Pusa Madhvi, Kalyanpur red round
KHARIF: Arka Kalyan, Agrifound dark
red, Arka Pragati (grow in both season)
Season Sow the medium sized bulbs during April
– May and October – November. It
requires sufficient soil moisture during its
growing period
Seed Rate 1000 kg/ha is required. Medium sized
bulbs are to be chosen for planting.
Seeds @ 8kg/ha
For Nursery: 10-12 kg/ha (For 1 Ha,
500sqm is needed)
Some Points
 Mostly pollinated by Honey bees
 Colour of onion skin is due to Quercetin
 Botling is due to Low temperature
 Catehol is a phenolic compound in onion which is antifungal
 Maleic Hydrazide is sprayed for storing onion

1.7 Cucurbits
 Crops belonging to family Cucurbitaceae are generally known as ‘Cucurbits’. It
consists of a wide range of vegetables either used for salad purpose (cucumber) or
for cooking (all gourds), pickling (West Indian gherkin) or as dessert fruit (muskmelon,
water melon) or candied or preserved (ash gourd).

6 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
  Sex forms – A wide range of sex forms like monoecious, andro monoecious, gynandro
monoecious and dioecious forms are noticed in the family.
 Hermaphrodite form - This is the most primitive form and bisexual flowers only are produced
in a plant. This is noticed in Satputia variety of ridge gourd and in a few lines of cucumber
and mush melon.
 Monoecious form - This is the advanced form and plants produce both male and female
flowers in a plant. Majority of the cucurbits exhibit monoecious condition.
 Andromonoecious form – Muskmelon and some cultivars of water melon produce both male
and bisexual flowers in a plant. However, non dessert forms like oriental pickling melon,
photo under Cucumis melo are monoecious.
 Gynomonoecious - This is noticed in cucumber and the plants produce female and bisexual
flowers.
 Gynoecious form -Lines producing female flowers alone are rarely noticed in cucumber and
have got great potential for commercial F1 production.
 Trimonoecious form- This is a condition wherein, the male, female and bisexual flowers are
produced in a single plant
 Dioecious form – Male and female flowers are produced on separate plants in parwal,
coccinia and kakrol.
 Sex modification: Majority of cucurbits are monoecious and sex ratio (male: female) ranges
from 25-30:1 to 15:1. Sex ratio is influenced by environmental factors. High N content in the
soil, long days and high temperature favour maleness. High ethylene level induces female
sex and is suggested to increase female flowers in cucumber, musk melon, summer squash
and pumpkin. In cucumber, maleic hydrazide (50-100 ppm) GA 3 (5-10 ppm), Ethrel (150-200
ppm), TIBA (25-50 ppm), boron (3 ppm) also induce female flowers.
 Gibberellins promote maleness and are antagonistic to the action of ethylene and abscisic
acid. In fact, gynoecious line of cucumber is maintained by inducing male flowers through
spray of GA 3 (1500-2000 ppm). Silver nitrate (300-400 ppm) also induces maleness.
 Cucumber is monoecious, seed rate is 2.5kg/ha. Varieties – Pusa Sanyog, Japanese
long green
 Water Melon contains 92-95.5 % water, dull sound is maturity index along with dry
tendril. Seed rate is 4-4.5 Kg/Ha. Varieties – Sugar baby, Durgapur Meetha, Arka
Manik, Pusa Bedana (Triploid seedless variety)
 Musk melon seed rate is 1.5-2 Kg/ha. Harvesting index is Full slip stage. Varities:
Durgapur madhu, Hara madhu, Pusa rasraj, Arka Rajhans
 Bootle gourd Seed rate 3-6 Kg/ha, Varieties: Pusa Manjari, Arka Bahar, Pusa
Meghdoot.

1.8 Legumes
Pea Cow Pea Cluster Bean
Seed rate: 60-80Kg/Ha Native of Africa 15-20 Kg/ha
Rainy 12-15Kg/ha
Summer 20-25 Kg/ha
Fodder 34-40Kg/ha

7 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
Varities: Boneville (suitable Pusa Barsati, Pusa Rituraj, Pusa Sadabahar, Pusa Mausami
for dehydration), Arkel, Pusa Phalguni, Pusa Komal
Sylvia, Arka Ajit

2 Highlights of Plantation crops

 TEA VARITIES – UPASI,TRF,TSI,TES

 SOIL PH- 4.5-4.5,
 ELEVATION – 1000-2500,
 TEMPERATURE-20-27 Degree Celsius
 Preparation of Cuttings are taken on April - May and August -
September
 SEASON OF PLANTING- May - June or September - October
 TRAINING TEA PLANT
 Centering
To induce more laterals, centering should be done 3 - 5 months after planting. The
main leader stem should be cut, leaving 8 - 10 matured leaves.
 Tipping
Tipping is done at a height of 35 cm from the second tipping at 60 cm from ground
level.
 Pruning
Pruning is done to maintain convenient height of bush and to remove dead and
diseased branches.

 Area to be pruned every year = Total extent of the garden

Pruning cycle
Pruning interval = (Elevation in feet / 1000) + 1
Pruning should be done in April - May or August - September.
 Types of pruning
Rejuvenation pruning
The whole bush should be cut near the ground level less than 30 cm with a view to
rejuvenate the bushes.
 Hard pruning
Hard/ formation pruning of young tea is done at 30 to 45 cm (12" to 18") for proper
spread of bushes.

8 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
  Medium pruning
To check the bush growing to an inconvenient height this type of pruning is done in
order to stimulate new wood and to maintain the foliage at lower levels less than 60
cm.
 Light pruning
Pruning depends on the previous history of the bush raising the height of medium
pruning by an inch or less to manageable heights for plucking (less than 65 cm).
 Skiffing [IBPS-AFO, NABARD]
This is the lightest of all pruning methods. A removal of only the top 5 - 8 cm new
growth is done so as to obtain a uniform level of pruning surface (more than 65 cm).

 Pollarding of shade trees should be done prior to heavy rains at a height of 8 - 10 m

from the ground level.
 Annual lopping-Cutting the erect type branches on the laterals in shade trees
 Plucking commences when the tea bush is 3 years old. The plucking of extreme tip
of the growing branch consists of an unopened bud together with two leaves is
popularly known as "Two leaves and a bud"
 Rush period
During rush period harvesting is done at 7 to 10 days interval.
 Lean period
During lean period harvesting is done at 10 – 15 days interval.
 Shoots may be plucked above fish leaf or mother leaf.
 CTC process (Crush, Tear and Curl) and Orthodox- Associated with Tea processing

COFFEE

 PH – 4.5-6.5
Varieties Elevation (m) Rainfall (mm) Distribution
Robusta 500 – 1000 1000 - 2000 Blossom shower – February - March

Arabica 1000 - 1500 1600 - 2500 Blossom shower – March - April

 Seeds and sowing

Coffee is propagated by seeds

 Season
Planting spreads from June – December, Seeds are sown in December - January
 Shade tree – Dadap, Silver oak (Coffee needs shade tree for shade)

9 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
  Harvest
 Harvest starts during November and harvesting extends up to February.
 Coffee fruits should be harvested as and when they become ripe. Coffee is just ripe
when on gently squeezing the fruits the beans inside come out easily. Unripe fruits
should be scrupulously sorted out before using the fruits for pulping. They may be
dried separately ascherry.

 Fly picking: Small scale picking of ripe berries during October to February

 Main picking: Well formed and ripened berries are harvested during December. Bulks
of the yields are obtained from this picking.

 Stripping: Picking of all the berries left irrespective of ripening.

 Cleanings: This is collection of fruits that have been dropped during harvesting
CHICORY BLENDING - Under food laws, the maximum permissible limit is
49% [NABARD]

COCONUT

 The mean annual temperature for optimum growth and maximum yield
is stated to be 270C with a diurnal variation of 6 0C to 70C and relative
humidity more than 60 %.
 Height : 1000-3000mtr
 pH range - 5.2 to 8.0.
 Spacing of 7.5m x 7.5m  177 Palm/Ha
 Vigorous seedlings which are one year old, having minimum of six
leaves and girth of 10 cm at the collar level should be selected for
planting in the main field.
 Early splitting of leaves in the seedlings could be a criterion for
selecting good seedlings. However, 18 - 24 month old seedlings are
preferred for planting in water logged areas
 Varities : Chandra kalpa, Chowghat Orange Dwarf (Tender nut variety),
KalpaDhenu, Kalpa Mitra

10 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
 HYBRIDS – CHANDRA SANKAR, KERA SANKAR,VHC-3, Ananda Ganga
 Highest Yield VHC-3 156 nuts/yr
 Under basin irrigation, 200 litres per palm once in four days will be
beneficial.
 During 10-22 years of age of the palms, crop like colocasia which can
tolerate shade can be cultivated.
 Coconuts become mature in about 12 months after the opening of the
spathe.
 Economic life of the coconut palm is about 60 years.[NABARD]
 Commercial Yield 6- 7 years onwards

ARECANUT

 Varities: Mangala, Sumangala, Subamangala, Mohitnagar, Srimangala, Samruthi

(Andaman), Hirehalli dwarf, VTLAH 1, 2 and Thirthahalli dwarf.
 Disease- Mahali, Anabe

RUBBER

 Varieties : Tjir 1, PB 86, BD 5, BD 10, PR 17, GT 1, RRII 105, RRIM 600

 pH of 4.5 to 6.0 and highly deficient in available phosphorous.
 Tropical climate with annual rainfall of 2000 – 4500 mm is suited for cultivation.
 Minimum and maximum temperature should be ranged from 25 to 34°C with 80 %
relative humidity is ideal for cultivation.
 June – July is optimum for cultivation
 Propagated by green budding, brown budding and crown budding
 Budded stumps – 30 x 30 cm

 Stump budding – 60 x 60 cm
 Spacing Hills 6.7 x 3.4,
 Plains 4.6 x 4.6

11 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
 TAPPING TECHNIQUE
S/2 d/2 (half spiral, alternate day for 6 months and 100% Intensity
rested for 3 months)
S /2 d/2 (half spiral, alternate day for 6 months and 67% intensity
6m /9 rested for 3 months)
S /2d/3 (half spiral, third day) 67% intensity
S/2 d/3 (half spiral, daily for one month and rested for 100% intensity
1m/2 next
month)
S /1 d/4 Full spiral, fourth day 100% intensity
V /2 d/2 Half circumstances and cut alternate day for 75% intensity
12m/16 12
months and rested for the next 4 months
 TAPPING METHODS- Taking out Latex of rubber plant
 Ethrel treatment @ 5% used for Tapping

 Disease – Pink Disease, Abnormal Leaf fall, Bark Canker, brown root,
collar rot
CASHEW

 Cashew (Anacardium occidentale), a native of Brazil,

 India is the third largest producer and exporter of cashew in the

world next only to Vietnam and Nigeria

 The current cashew production of the country accounts for 23.0% of

the global production.
 Areas where the temperatures range from 20 to 30°C with an annual
precipitation of 1000 - 2000 mm are ideal for cashew growing ,
 However, temperatures above 36°C between the flowering and fruiting period

 Yield potential ranging between 20-25 kg of nuts per tree

 Varities- Chintamani, BPP,Vengurla

12 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
 Cashew is a cross pollinated crop and exhibits wide variation in
respect of nut, apple and yield of seedling progenies.
 Therefore, vegetative propagation has been advocated to mitigate this
problem.
 Air layering has been quite successful but survival percentage is low,
Epicotyl grafting and softwood grafting are found to be successful
because it is easy to produce large number of grafts in a short time
 Cashew trees are generally planted with a spacing of 7 to 9 meters
adopting square system.
 A spacing of 7.5 m X 7.5 m (175 plants/ ha) or 8 m X 8 m (156 plants/ ha)
is recommended.
 High density planting of cashew at a closer spacing of 4 m X 4 m (625
plants/ ha), final spacing of 8 m X 8 m in the tenth year is also
recommended
 Inter cropping cashew, Casuarina and coconut are popular.

 Initial, training and pruning of cashew plants during first 3-4 years is essential
for providing proper shape to the trees.
 The trees are shaped by removing lower branches and water shoots coming
from the base during first 3-4 years.
 Thereafter, little or no pruning is necessary. The plant should be allowed to
grow by maintaining a single stem up to 0.75-1.0 m from the ground level.
 After 4-5 years, the main stem is detopped to a height of 4-5 m from the ground
level

 The training and pruning of cashew plants is done during August – September

 TOP WORKING Periods from November to March and February to June have
been found to be ideal for beheading and in-situ grafting respectively.
 It increase yiled 3-4 times
 PEST –Tea Mosquito – Reduce yield by 30%
 Cashew plants start bearing after three years of planting and reach full
bearing during tenth year and continue giving remunerative yields for another
20 years

 The cashew apples are removed and the nuts are dried in sun for 2-3 days to
bring the moisture level from 25 per cent to 9 per cent.

 Yield – 1st yr 1kg /plant;4th Year- 3kg /plant; 10th year-9kg/plant

 Shelling % 20-25%

GINGER
13 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
  1500 - 1800 kg of rhizome/ha is required.
 Rio de Janeiro, Maran Nadan, Suruchi, Suravi, Suprabha, Himagiri,IISR
Varada, IISR Mahima and IISR Rejatha Athira and Karthika are the popular
varieties.

TURMERIC

 A seed rate of 1000 kg rhizomes is required for planting one acre of land. As
an intercrop in a fruit-garden seed rate may be as low as 125 - 200 kg per acre.

3 Post Harvest
Storage part already discussed in farm machinery

3.1 Supply Chain Management

A supply chain is an entire system of producing and delivering a product or service, from
the very beginning stage of sourcing the raw materials to the final delivery of the product
or service to end-users. The supply chain lays out all aspects of the production process,
including the activities involved at each stage, information that is being communicated,
natural resources that are transformed into useful materials, human resources, and other
components that go into the finished product or service.

 UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM

Means From where & how material reaches processing plant and after processing how it
reaches to last customer

14 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
  SOURCE TO SINK Concept

 Supply Chain of AMUL

How it is different from Value Chain?

Asked in NABARD interview many times

15 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
3.2 Fruit Beverages
 SQUASH: This is a type of fruit beverage containing at least 25 per cent fruit juice or
pulp and 40 to 50 per cent total soluble solids, commercially. It also contains about
1.0per cent acid and 350 ppm sulphur dioxide or 600 ppm sodium benzoate. It is
diluted before serving.
 READY-TO-SERVE (RTS): This is a type of fruit beverage which contains at least 10 per
cent fruit juice and 10 per cent total soluble solids besides about 0.3 per cent acid. It
is not diluted before serving, hence it is known as ready-to-serve (RTS).
 CORDIAL: It is a sparkling, clear, sweetened fruit juice from which pulp and other
insoluble substances have been completely removed. It contains at least 25 per cent
juice and 30 per cent TSS. It also contains about 1.5 per cent acid and 350 ppm of
sulphur dioxide. This is very suitable for blending with wines. Lime and lemon are
suitable for making cordial.
 NECTAR: This type of fruit beverage contains at least 20 per cent fruit juice / pulp and
15 per cent total soluble solids and also about 0.3 per cent acid. It is not diluted
before serving.
 JAM: TSS – 68.5%
 JELLY: TSS – 65%, Pectin is important. Guava is generally used for Jelly
 MARMALADE: The method of preparation is practically the same as that for jelly
marmalade. In this case the pectin extract of fruit is not clarified and the whole pulp
is used. Sugar is added according to the weight of fruit, generally in the proportion
of 1:1. The pulp-sugar mixture is cooked till the TSS content reaches 65 per cent.

16 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
3.3 Preservatives
 KMS: Potassium metabisulphate is used for colorless fruits
 Sodium Benzoate: Used in coloured fruits, only for non acid fruits

3.4 Preserving methods

 Pasteurization: Food Safety Standards Regulation says that the terms “Pasteurisation”,
“Pasteurised” and similar terms shall be taken to refer to the process of heating every
particle of milk of different classes to at least to 63°C for 30 min or heating it to at least
71.5°C and holding it at that temperature for 15 seconds or any other approved
temperature time combination that will serve to give a negative Phosphatase Test. All
pasteurised milk of different classes shall be cooled immediately to a temperature of
10°C or less.
 Sterilization: is the complete destruction or elimination of all viable organisms in/on
object being sterilized. The process destroys yeasts, molds, vegetative bacteria, and
spore formers, and allows the food processor to store and distribute the products at
ambient temperatures, thus extending the shelf-life.

4 Mushrooms
Types of Mushrooms Naturally, mushrooms are found in diverse agro-climatic conditions
ranging from arid to evergreen forest conditions. Worldwide more than 3000 mushrooms
have been identified as edible, of which 200types are reported to have been produced
under controlled conditions. However, not more than 60 varieties are being grown widely.
There are about a dozen varieties which are cultivated on commercial scale. India is home
to more than 300 varieties of mushrooms found in the wild.

 The major mushroom varieties of commercial importance are Button (Agaricus

bisporus, A. bitorquis), Oyster–Dhingri (Pleurotus sp.), Paddy Straw (Volvariella sp.),
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes), Milky Mushroom (Calocybe indica), Winter mushroom
(Flammulina velutipes), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Black Ear (Auricularia sp.) etc.
Morel (Morchella esculanta) is seasonally harvested from the wild in north Himalayan
states. In India, three types, namely button, oyster and straw mushroom are
extensively cultivated on commercial scale.
 Button: It is most popular variety both in the domestic and export market and ranks
first in terms of production and consumption. It is grown both by seasonal growers in
low cost structures as well in environment controlled units. Both the production
systems viz., seasonal and controlled environment growing is in vogue throughout
the country. The button mushroom is grown throughout the country, with Punjab,
Haryana, UP, Uttrakhand, Himachal and Tamilnadu contributing significantly to the
national production.
 Oyster: This mushroom, commonly called Dhingri, is suitable for the temperate,
subtropical and tropical regions of our country. The regions suitable for button

17 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube
 mushroom are equally suitable for this mushroom. This type of mushroom is generally
dried and exported. This has tremendous potential as it can be grown on a variety
of substrates under varied conditions. The production technology is relatively simple
with low production costs. India produces annually about 10000 tons of this
mushroom. The Oyster is widely cultivated in states of Orissa, Andhra, Karnataka,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and North-Eastern states. Punjab and
Tamilnadu are the leading producers of this type on commercial scale.
 Paddy Straw: This variety is suitable for sub-tropical regions of the country. There are
more than 19 edible varieties of this species, of which cultivation methods of only
three species, have been developed. This mushroom is very popular for its taste and
flavor in the Eastern and Southern India, especially in the coastal region and
extensively cultivated in Orissa. It can be grown in temperate regions by maintaining
3 temperature conditions. Its potential remains under exploited despite abundant
availability of paddy straw and highly suited environmental conditions.
 Specialty Mushrooms: This group includes mushroom of various types which are less
common in a particular region or country. On this count, Oyster, Paddy Straw,
Shiitake, Black Ear, White Milky, Winter Mushrooms fall under this category. The
demand for these mushrooms, in recent years, has shown an upward tendon
account of its novelty and medicinal value, fetching high prices in the global market.
The Indian sub-continent is endowed with varied agro-climatic conditions for
growing these mushrooms.
 Medicinal Mushrooms: Medicinal mushrooms have an established history of use in
the traditional oriental medicine. Many mushrooms especially belonging to the
genus Auricularia, Flammulina, Ganoderma, Grifola, Lentinula, Tremella etc. have
been found to possess medicinal properties. Ganoderma lucidum is the most popular
mushroom commercially used and traded in the world.

NEXT – PART VIII

Animal Husbandry: Farm animals and their role in Indian economy, Animal
husbandry methods in India, common terms pertaining to different species of
livestock, Utility classification of breeds of cattle. Introduction to common feeds and
fodders, their classification and utility. crops

Feedback can be submitted to E-Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com

Notes will be updated as and when required and reposted in telegram channel

18 Mail: Clarity4sure@gmail.com
Telegram: @Clarity4sure
Click You Tube