Experiment

Aim-
To prepare and sterilize substrate bags for the cultivation of King Oyster
Mushrooms

Theory
Raw materials required for cultivation of king oyster
Substrate types

A substrate, in mushroom growing terms, is the material on which the mushrooms obtain
nutrients and grow.

King Oyster mushrooms have specific substrate preferences that are key to their successful
cultivation. For King Oysters, the choice of substrate is crucial for optimal growth and yield.

1. Hardwood Sawdust: This is the most commonly used substrate for King Oyster
mushrooms. Hardwood sawdust, often from oak, maple, or alder, provides the
necessary cellulose and lignin that King Oysters thrive on. The sawdust is usually
supplemented with wheat bran or rice bran to increase nutrient content.
2. Straw: Straw, particularly from wheat or rye, can be a good substrate for King Oysters.
It’s often chopped and pasteurized before use to eliminate any potential contaminants.
Straw provides a looser structure, which can be beneficial for the growth of King
Oysters.
3. Agricultural Waste Products: King Oyster mushrooms can also grow on a variety of
agricultural byproducts, such as cottonseed hulls, soybean hulls, or corn cobs. These
substrates are often used in commercial cultivation due to their availability and cost-
effectiveness.
4. Supplemented Substrates: To boost productivity and mushroom size, substrates are
often supplemented with additional nutrients. Common supplements include gypsum,
which helps to maintain the pH balance and structure of the substrate, and various
forms of bran, which increase the nutritional value.
5. Specialized Mushroom Growing Bags: For home cultivators and commercial growers
alike, pre-sterilized and supplemented mushroom growing bags are available. These
bags often contain a mix of sawdust and other substrates, optimized for King Oyster
mushroom growth.
6. Liquid culture - which is a mix of mycelium and nutritious liquid in syringes. You can use
liquid culture to inoculate agar plates, grains, sterilized substrates, or make more liquid
culture of your own. You can buy liquid culture syringes from Mossy Creek Mushrooms,
Urban Farm-It, and Liquid Fungi
It’s important to ensure proper preparation and sterilization. King Oyster mushrooms require a
clean and contamination-free environment to grow effectively. This usually involves
pasteurizing or sterilizing the substrate to kill any unwanted bacteria or competing fungi.

In conclusion, King Oyster mushrooms are adaptable to a variety of substrates, with hardwood
sawdust being the most popular. The key to successful cultivation is choosing a substrate that is
nutrient-rich and properly prepared, offering the best environment for these mushrooms to
flourish. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a commercial grower, understanding substrate
preferences and preparation is essential for growing healthy, productive King Oyster
mushrooms.

Characteristics of the materials required

Substrate

 Low in Contaminants: Ideally, the substrate should be free from mold spores,
bacteria, or other contaminants.
 Good Structure: The substrate should have a good balance between air pockets and
water retention. Too dense and it can suffocate the mushrooms, too loose and it
might not hold its shape well during the fruiting stage.
 Should be dry & should not be mixed with unwanted materials.

Supplements- Supplements like wheat bran, soybean meal, or rice bran provide additional
nutrients that may be lacking in the primary substrate, promoting healthy mushroom
growth.

Bag size - bags in the range of 14 inches tall and 7 inches wide used to put the prepared
substrate. 2 PPE bags were put together.

Procedure

The pot was sterilized using 70% alcohol to avoid contamination while mixing.

5Kg of saw dust and 1Kg of wheat bran were weighed.

The raw materials were added to the pot.

Before starting the mixing hands were sterilized using alcohol.

Water was added to the mixture in the ratio of 1:1

Moisture content should be 60%-70%, which means when the substrate taken into hand the
water shouldn't be dripping.
The CaCO3 was added to balance the pH. The pH should be around 6.8 -7.

Prepared substrate mixture was put in to doubled PPE bags.

After filling the bags with substrate a plastic ring was put into the opening area and a cotton
plug was put into the ring.

Cotton plug must be tight enough.

When filling the bags there should be enough space between cotton plug and substrate.

The prepared substrate bags were put into the autoclave for sterilization.
Precautions

 The quality of the materials used to prepare should be checked properly.

 The place used for the substrate preparation and hands must be sterilized to avoid
any contamination.
 2 PPE bags mush used together when making substrate bags as the bags should be
able to autoclaved.
 Moisture content and pH of the substrate must be prepared at the correct
measurements as it's crucial for the fungus growth.