Introduction and definition

A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above

ground on soil or on its food source.

Mushroom is a type of higher class of fungi. It belongs to the Kingdom Mycota. It lacks
chlorophyll so cannot make its own food. It is saprophytic in nature, which depend on decaying
materials for food. In Nepal, there are 720 species of mushroom among which 110 are edible
and 75 are having medicinal value while 65 of them are poisonous and rest of are neutral.

Importance of mushroom cultivation

Nutritional Importance: Among 12 types of AAs, 9 are found in mushroom. Mushroom also
contain 3-4% protein, 90% water, carbohydrate 4-5%, fatty acid 1%, ash 1.3%, crude fiber 1%,
vitamin B1, B2 etc.

Medicinal importance: Materials found in mushroom have medicinal value. It is important diet
for the patients of Diabetes which control the Cholesterol. Lectin found in mushroom helps to
decrease interest in food intake reducing in body weight.

Commercial importance: it also helps to create opportunity for income generation. Due to
increased demand in urban area for the mushroom, small farmers can expand their cultivation to
increase their income

Industrial importance: various food items are made from mushroom. Various soups, pickles,
pizza can be made out of mushroom. We can also store mushroom in can for a long time after
processing it. These industrial products are possible only with the help of mushroom

Employment opportunity: a large number of people get employment opportunity from mushroom
cultivation. From the grower himself to various industrial processing people, people are
benefited from employment. Various technical manpower, small farmers and even industrial
people get the employment opportunity.

Prospectus, potential and problems of mushroom cultivation

Prospectus/Potential
Suitable Climate: Climate of Nepal is very suitable for mushroom cultivation. Nepal has got
various climate according to the suitability of the various species of the mushroom. From warm
place to the humid climate, every sort of climate are available in Nepal.

Increased consciousness: The number of educated people are increasing day by day so does the
people's consciousness about the nutritional value of mushroom. The demand of mushroom
among educated people is increasing day by day. Even the people working in foreign countries
have understood importance of mushroom and demand is increasing day by day.
Increased technical manpower: people obtaining training of mushroom cultivation is increasing
day by day. Agricultural Development Office are organizing various skill related program time
to time which has increased the number of skilled people for mushroom cultivation

Increased demand: peoples increased consciousness increased demand for mushroom

consumption. Various medicinal value of mushroom, items from mushroom has listed mushroom
among one of the most demanded food items.
Easy availability of raw material for mushroom cultivation: the raw materials required for
mushroom cultivation such as straw can be easily available locally. More over the seed for
mushroom is also being available with less difficulty.
Use of leisure time: mushroom cultivation needs no yearlong manual labor. With a single start,
one can continue mushroom cultivation for a long time. House wife having leisure time can
better utilize the time and engage in this cultivation.

Problems of Mushroom cultivation

Lack of sufficient study/research about mushroom cultivation

Lack of enough institutions/organization promoting mushroom cultivation

Lack of technical manpower in rural area having sufficient knowledge about mushroom
cultivation

Most of mushroom seed producing organizations located at urban area

Fluctuation in climate resulting in fluctuation in price of mushroom

Lack of organized structure of mushroom cultivation farmers

Lack of sufficient knowledge about various products of mushroom

Lack of easy accessibility of other raw materials other than straw

Types of Mushroom

Oyster mushroom: Most suitable temperature for this mushroom cultivation is 20-30° C. It can
be cultivated throughout whole year. We can use Paddy straw, wheat or barley straw, mushroom
straw or maize husk. Straw are cut into fine pieces of 2-2.5 inch. One kg of straw can produce
500 gm of mushroom on an average but most of experienced farmers can produce even 1 kg of
mushroom. With interval of 7-10 days, we can harvest mushroom for 3-5 times.

Bottom Mushroom: a healthy bottom mushroom is of orange size and white along with shiny. In
world, this mushroom is cultivated most. Depending on climate, it can be produced from hilly to
the terai region. In mid hills it can be grown twice a year, first on asoj-poush and next on falgun-
jestha. In terai region, it can be grown in winter season only. Spawn should be prepared which is
required for mushroom cultivation. Straw is cut down of 1 feet length in which spawn is covered
from outer side and this act is called as casing.1 kg of straw can give 200-300 gm of mushroom
production. We can harvest upto 3-5 months.

Sitake Mushroom: the outer covering of mushroom is brown red in which small white spots are
found which resembles to the deer. One piece of mushroom can weight 150-250 gm. This
mushroom is cultivated in wooden logs. This mushroom is cultivated in mid and high hills of
Nepal. 1 meter log of 5 year old is selected in which holes are made3-4 rows at interval of 5 cm
and 15 cm between holes. Mushroom seed is placed in the hole. Mushroom can be harvested
after 9-10 months and upto period of 3 years.

Paddy Straw Mushroom: During early stage, it seems as egg of hen with brownish white color.
After it is fully developed, it seems reddish meat color in inner side and upper part is shiny soft,
red tinted brown and white. This mushroom is cultivated in rice straw. Bundle of straw is made
of 25 cm diameter in which seeds are placed one after another bundles. Suitable temperature for
this mushroom is 30-35° C. this mushroom should be harvested when it is still egg structured. A
mushroom bed can produce upto 5 kg of mushroom.

Ganoderma: it looks like oyster mushroom but it is dark red in color. Usually in Nepal, it is
found in wild form. Commercially it is cultivated in wooden log, but also can be cultivated in
wooden dust or in straw. It can be cultivated in high hills of Nepal and need high relative
humidity and moist place for cultivation.

Preparation of spawn:

Materials required for spawn

Straw 1000kg

Urea: 5kg

Ammonium Sulphate: 20 kg

Triple super Phosphate: 7 kg

Lime: 30kg

Formaline: 1 liter

Nuvan: 100 ml

Derosel: 50 gm
Method of spawn preparation:

Cut the straw into pieces of 1 feet

Make straw piece wet in water 8-10 hours and drain the straw piece after that

With the help of wooden frame, stick to the straw pieces in different layers. In every 3-4 layers,
put 1-2 kg mixture of compost prepared earlier. Repeat such activities until the straw layer
reaches to 4 feet high which can accumulate 500 kg of straw. If straw is dry then water it
slightly.

Turning of Spawn

Spawn is fully prepared when it is turned over upto 8 times

First: in 5 days (mix D.A.P.)

Second: in 10 days (mix lime)

Third: in 13th day

Forth: in 16th day (mix T.S.P and D.A.P.)

Fifth: in 19th day

Sixth: in 22th day (mix Daithene-M-45, 2.5 gram and 1 ml Nuvan per liter of water, 20 liter of
such mixture used for a ton of spawn

Seventh: in 25th day

Eighth: in 27th day

Now the spawn turns into light brown colored having moisture 70% and PH 7-7.2

Mushroom Cultivation

Bottom Mushroom:

Clean the mushroom cultivation room with 2% formalin

Make wooden rack of 3-4 feet width and 6-8 inch length

Fill rack with spawn prepared earlier.

Remove upper 1.5 inch spawn and put mushroom seed and cover back with spawn then slight
pressing it with hands (need 20 bottles of seed for 1 ton straw)

Cover it with formalin wet newspaper

Prepare mixture of soil for casing after 2 weeks of sowing seed.

(100 kg of fine soil, 2 kg lime and formalin water mixture (0.25:5 liter) are all put together and
mixed and covered by plastic then after 48 hours stir it well)

Cover the bed (spawn in wooden rack) with mixture of soil of 1 inch thickness and then water it
slightly morning and evening.

Maintain temperature of 22-25° C for 7-10 days with 70-75% R.H. then maintain temperature of
15-18° C and R.H. 80-90%.

Mushroom can be harvested after 4 weeks of casing

During harvest, hold mushroom and spin towards a side and pick it

We can harvest 200-300 kg of bottom mushroom from 1 ton of straw

Oyster Mushroom

Cut straw 2-2.5 inch long piece

Put straw piece in water for 2 hours

Clean straw piece 3-4 times with clean water

Spread the cleaned straw piece in inclined place for 18-24 hours in order to let excess water out
of straw

Inroder to remove microbs in straw piece, sterilize it 30minutes to a hour in water steam

Now, place the straw piece in clean place and fill the straw piece in plastic bag of 16"×18". First
put 4 inch of straw piece then put mushroom seed. Then again put straw piece 4 inch and again
put seed and continue. Put 4 layer of seed. Slightly press the straw piece in plastic bag

Since we need oxygen inside plastic bag, make hole of a cm diameter at 10 cm interval

Put seed sown plastic bag in dark room where the temperature should be 25-30° C and close it for
3 weeks

When there is enough fungus developed, remove plastic bag and put it over wooden flank or
brick layer

When removing plastic, there is small mushroom buds which can be harvested within 5-7 days

Water the seed bed 3 times a day

We can harvest mushroom 3-4 times from a bed.

Diseases

Brown Plaster mould:

It is spread through fungus during mushroom seed sowing and surface of soil after casing is
done. Initially white powery mass is seen over straw mixture or casing soil which turn into light
brown color.

Sanitation, well managed air circulation, balanced RH and temperature, 2% formalin or 1 gram
derosal or bavistin in a liter of water is mixed and spread over to control the disease

Green Mould:

In spawn surface of casing soil layer, white fiber is seen which later on turn into green spots.
These spots do not allow to grow mushroom. This happens when there is no proper disinfection,
unbalance in temperature and R.H., fertilizer mix during spawn preparation is not mixed well

Use 2 gram Endofil-M 45 in a liter of water to spray in affected area

White Bubble Disease:

This disease is seen in growing mushroom or in cap of grown mushroom with appearance of
white fungus like mass. The affected mass of mushroom initially is wet which turns hard but do
not decay. Later on it is dry and seems as skinned. Color is changed into brown red and foul
smell comes out making unfit for consumption

Remove affected mushroom along with soil layer around. 0.5% formalin mixture is spread to
prevent its spread. Use 1 gram Endofil-M 45 in a liter of water to spray in to prevent spread of
this disease.

Insects:

Mites:

These are small organisms having 8 legs. These sucks sap from the growing mushroom so that
mushroom cannot grow.

Use of 1.5-2 ml Aramite or Chlorobenjelet per liter of water spray, Use 0.1-0.2% Nuvan mixture
to spray in the spawn

Flies:
Larvas of flies consume spawn or the mushroom fibers and cause damage. Even after it turn into
adult, it consume stripe to gills of mushroom

Use of Malathion 2 ml in a liter of water 2 days before seed sowing or 2 days before casing.