Mushroom Culti Os A noble v way to use Waste’ materialsfonmfood prodiich Lr eid Coed [CAR Pesesir a NGO TSS Cy ei Das Bru Co Abalpucae camel cnibucherra - 799 210 Agaiira (west)Introduction Mushroom is a large fungal fruit body used traditionally as food by the tribal people of our country. However, nowadays, it gains so popularity that it is not restricted within them and a large number of general people consume it as food. It is available by collecting from its wild habitat or by cultivating artificially under natural or control condition. Due to increased needs of edible mushroom as food, artificial cultivation is inevitable. Food value Mushroom has been recognized as a delicious food of good quality protein. It is rich in vitamins, particularly in Vitamin C and Vitamin B-Complex, and minerals. It is, also, considered as a food of low calorie with little fat, where sugar content is very low, starch and cholesterol are absent and ergosterol is present. Moreover, it has several medicinal values. Edible mushroom species and their cultivating seasons in Tripura Selection of correct type and species of mushroom is an important factor to cultivate it profitably. Accordingly, three types of mushrooms have been identified for cultivation in Tripura during different seasons as below. Season Favourable period | Mushroom type | Mushroom species to cultivate (in Months) Oyster -Pleurotus florida ee Milky Calocybe indica Summer ApriFMay Paddy Straw Volvariella volvacea Milky Calocybe indica ‘Autumn September-October | Oyster P sajor-caju -do- P flabellatus -do- B florida f fat Substrate materials Agricultural residues, such as, rice straw, mustard residue, toria residue, sesame residue with capsule shell; arhar pod shell, pea haulms, black gram/ green gram pod shell, hulled maize cob as well as saw dust of saw mill-are very good substrate materials for oyster mushroom cultivation. Rice straw is the best substrate in Tripura for cultivating other two mushrooms, viz., Paddy Straw and Milky. Moreover, in milky mushroom cultivation, casing with a mixture of soil, sand and well decomposed cow dung manure mixing in 1:1:1 ratio is essential for initiating fruit bodies. In certain cases, a small amount of CaCO3 is needed to add with the casing soil to raise the pH into slightly alkaline. Cultivation methods For cultivation of mushroom, the first and foremost thing which needs due attention is the information on the availability of good quality of spawn. Since, the preparation of spawn requires well set up of laboratory and skilled personnel. In Tripura, several spawn production laboratories have been set up by the State Government, where from spawns are regularly sold for less price. However, the methodology given here under may be utilized if all facilities are available.Spawn preparation Mushroom spawn is prepared by boiling the paddy grains for half an hour. The excess water is removed from the boiled grains. Now, the grains are well mixed with calcium carbonate (1%) and calcium sulphate (3%) before filling in bottles or polypropylene bags. These filled up bags are sterilized at 15 Ib p.s.i. pressure for 2 hours. Thereafter, inoculation is done aseptically. Oyster mushroom cultivation Preparation of substrates and disinfection : Oyster mushroom is cultivated on different kinds of agricultural residues/straws after cutting into small pieces. However, the readily available small pieces of materials are directly used. The cut/ small pieces of substrates are water soaked for 18 hours and then removed the excess water before disinfection. The disinfection is done by any of the following three methods. Hot water treatment: In this method, boil water is poured on the water soaked substrates in a closed vessel/ container. Time to time boil water is added for about two hours to maintain the temperature. Then, again the excess water is drained out and the substrates are allowed to sun dry for an hour to remove the excess moisture keeping 60-70% of it. Steam treatment: In this method, at first the chopped substrate is water soaked for 18 to 20hrs. Thereafter, the excess water is removed from the straw and after removal of water; the wet straw is placed on a water boiling can separating by a wire net. The can is covered by a lid with a central outlet. After 2hrs of steaming through the wet substrate, the substrate is allowed to cool down and air dried for removing excess moisture. Chemical treatment: This is done by dipping the wet substrates in the solution, consisting of 3g carbendazim, 25ml formalin, 5 drops endosulfan and 20 litres water, for half an hour and later, the excess water and moisture are removed. Alternatively, the dry substrates are soaked in the same solution for 18 hours followed by decanting of excess water on a slanted platform and removing excess moisture in sunlight for an hour. Mushroom bed preparation & fruit body production: Mushroom beds are prepared in various ways, but, the most convenient way is that in polythene bag. In this method, transparent polythene bag (20'x 16") is perforated (hole size 0.4" diameter) at a distance of 4" all over its body surface. One kg of straw (dry weight basis) after water soaking and disinfection, and a bottle/bag of spawn (150g) are thoroughly mixed and filled up the bag. Later, the mouth of the bag is closed by tying with a piece of jute/nylon thread. In other way, spawning is also done by putting some substrates in the bag, pressing thereon by hand palm to make a layer of substrates and broadcasting over some spawn grains. This process is repeated for 3-4 times until the bag is filled up. Now, the spawned substrate in closed polythene bag is kept in a cool and dark place for 18-20 days for spawn running in the substrate. After completion of spawn running, which is visible from out side the transparent polythene sheet as white mycelial growth over the substrates, the polythene bag is cut open and placed e in the mushroom house, where humidit St Sil Ssamg has been artificially raised by hanging we ye SS GF sunny cloths at different places. Sprinkling > _+— aS aes) 0f water regularly twice at morning and a, ee) = fh alternoon is done to develop fruit bodies Sr Nepal within 3-4 days. There after, the mushrooms se = __| grow in the same bed for two to three times Weed in flashes at about 7-8 days interval. At last, 9 when the productivity is decreased enough, the mushroom bed is thrown out in a compost pit for compost preparation.Mushroom harvesting: Harvesting of mushroom is generally done at morning when the edges of the caps start to fold or curl upwards by giving gentle twist at the base of fruit body. The adhering substrate particles are removed by hand picking and made the mushroom ready for marketing or food preparation. Milky mushroom cultivation Preparation of mushroom bed and casing soil The process of milky mushroom cultivation is same as oyster mushroom cultivation up to the stage of spawn running. However, here, paddy straw is the only substrate and during spawn running stage casing soil is made ready by mixing field soil, sand and well decomposed cow dung manure in 1:1:1 ratio. The mixture is then suspended for 48-72 hours in the same chemical solution by which the straws are disinfected. Then, the excess water is removed by decanting the whole material on a clean surface. The material is kept as such for drying enough in order to make it fragile by hand palm pressure. Casing When the spawn running is completed in polythene bag, the mouth of the bag is unthread or cut open and the casing soil as prepared earlier is dusted over the spawn run substrate up to 1" height of thickness. Fruit body production The mushroom bed is now kept on a rack for allowing fruit body production repeatedly from the upper surface. Watering is done regularly twice as usual for oyster mushroom. Mushroom harvesting Fruit bodies are harvested at any time of the day when the pileus is fully opened. This is done by twisting the mushroom at its base. The adhered soil is cut off by a knife and made the mushroom ready for marketing or food preparation. Paddy straw mushroom cultivation The process of paddy straw mushroom cultivation is quite different from those described earlier. Here, intact paddy straw is used instead of chopped straw. The verandah of an ordinary house if covered 1m height at base or a well lighted house is suitable for fruit body production. Preparation of substrate Rice straws of 1 year old are tied into bundles of about 15cm diameter and 75cm length. Now, twenty such bundles are used for preparation of a bed. The straws are water soaked in a tank for over night (18-20hrs), thereafter; these are taken out and kept on a slanted platform for draining out the excess water. After removal of excess water, the straw bundles are dipped into the chemical solution, as used for oyster mushroom cultivation, for a while for disinfection. The disinfected straw bundles are kept in a heap on the slanted platform for an hour to remove the excess water again. Mushroom bed preparation Five straw bundles are used in one layer on a raised structure at about 1.5' height prepared by wood or bamboo strips, keeping gaps between strips 2 inches. Spawning is done by pushing the spawn grains inside the straws around the periphery of the first layer in a line on 4-6cm inner from the edge Now, dusting of gram dal powder on the spawn is done. The next layer of straw bundles is prepared by keeping the straws in just opposite direction of those of the first layer in cris-cross manner. Spawning and dusting of gramdal powder are done as earlier. The straws of the 3rd layer are placed in opposite direction of the second layer. On the third layer spawning and dusting of gram dal powder are made throughout the surface. Fourth layer is prepared by placing the straws in the same direction of second layer. This layer is the covering layer and spawning is not required. Now, the whole bed is pressed and fastened tightly with coir/nylon threads. For preparation of such bed, one bottle of spawn and 100g of gram dal powder are required. The complete bed is now covered with a transparent polythene sheet, keeping 10-15cm gap above and around the bed and the covering reaches up to 10-15cm below the lowermost layer. Water is sprayed as and when the outer straws showed dryness. Mushroom fruit bodies come out within 15-16 days after the spawning. Two more flashes of mushrooms are obtained at 7-8 days interval. Harvesting : The paddy straw mushroom is harvested at the button, egg or pileus opening stage during day time by a gentle twist at base. Some Indian recipes of mushroom food preparation Mushroom soup Mushroom soup is prepared by boiling 250g mushrooms, a tomato and a little corn flour, all at a time, in water. When half of the water is evaporated then the cooked material is sieved through a clean gauge/cloth. A small piece of bread is frie in butier and immersed in the soup and this is stirred for mixing. The prepared soup is served as hot with a little butter. Mushroom curry Two big size tomatoes, onions (2 Nos) and mushroom (200g) are washed and cut into small pieces. Garlic (7 bulbs) and ginger (1 piece) are pasted. All these preparations are kept separately in containers. Now, cooking is done with onion and garlic in ghee/oil (1 large spoonful) until the materials turn to golden colour. Turmeric powder (1/2 tea spoonful), cumin powder (1/2 tea spoonful), chilli (as required for taste) and salt (as required for taste) are added to the cooking materials. Soon, the tomato pieces are added to the earlier materials and stirred until the tomato pieces melt and mix well with other substances. One cup of curd or milk and the mushroom pieces are added there and these all are cooked for 5 minutes. During cooking the materials are stirred often, to mix these with each other. At last, water (if like) is added and boiled for about 5 minutes. Mushroom matar masala Mushroom (200g) is cut into small pieces and kept separately. Then, green pea seeds are peeled out from pod (500g) and kept separately. Onion (2 Nos) and ginger (10g) are cut into small pieces and kept separately. Now, the cooking is done with mustard oil/ghee or butter (2 tea Spoantal in a cooking pan. Onion, ginger, garlic (6 bulbs), cinnamon (small amount), chilli (as required for taste) and salt (as required for taste) are added in warm oil/ghee and stirred for about 5 minutes. Then the mushroom pieces and pea seeds (matar) are added and cooked for about 3-5 minutes. Water is added thereafter and boiled for 5 minutes. The cooked material is served hot along with some pieces of coriander leaves. Mushroom pakora Mushroom (100g) is washed and cut into small pieces. Slurry of besan (100g, gram dal powder) is prepared with a little salt and cut pieces of green chilli according to taste. The mushroom pieces are mixed with the slurry and fried in oil/ ghee. When the frying materials turned to light brown, pakoras are prepared. These are served with tomato sauce.Mushroom omelet An egg is broken and the inner material is mixed with salt and chilli pieces thoroughly and then that is kept separately. Two mushrooms and an onion are cut into small pieces. The latter two are fried on a frying pan with oil/ ghee | or butter until they turned to brown. The fried materials are taken out and mixed with the egg slurry as prepared earlier by stirring. Oil or ghee is poured ona frying pan and the mixed materials are fried as omelet. This is served hot with tomato sauce. Mui Barak (Tripuri food) Mushrooms (200g) are cleaned and cut into small pieces. These are transferred to a cooking pan. Then, cut pieces of one big size onion, six to seven cut green chillies, four pieces of dry fish (sidal), a tea spoonful of salt and a half tea spoonful of turmeric powder are added to the mushroom in the cooking pan Later, water is added and boiled the materials for 15-20 minutes. The cooked material is ready to serve with rice eo Oyster Mushroom 5 on Toria Residues Publication No. 28 Year 2006 Prepared by Dr. S. Biswas Dr. N. P. Singh Sr. Scientist Joint Director Technical support : Mr. Pranab Datta Designing : Shekhar Ghosh Published by : Dr. N. P. Singh, Joint Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Lembucherra, Tripura (West). For details please contact : Dr. N. P. Singh , Joint Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Lembucherra, Tripura (West), 799210, Phone: (0381) 2400047 / 2865537 (O), 2353725 (R), Fax (0381) 2865201 / 2865537, E-mail : narendraprataps@yahoo.co.in. Dr. K. M. Bujarbaruah, Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya, 793103, Phone : (0364) 2570257 (O),2570302/2226808(R), Fax : (0364) 2570363/2570501, E-mail : director@icarneh.ernet.in. Printed at New Manikya Press, Agartala. Tel =