Abstract

SPAWN PRODUCTION AND CULTIVATION STRATEGIES FOR PLEUROTUS EOUS (PINK OYSTER MUSHROOM

Kathiravan Subramanian, *Krishnakumari Shanmugasundaram and
Nagalakshmi Muthu.

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to standardize the spawn production and cultivation technology of pink oyster mushroom, Pleurotus eous. The mushroom culture procured was grown in Potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and the culture was preserved in PDA slants. The slant mushroom culture was used for the production of mushroom spawn. White sorghum seeds were used as a substrate to produce mushroom spawn. The quality spawn produced after complete mycelium spreading was used for the cultivation of mushroom in the mushroom cultivation chamber. The various steps involved in the cultivation process was repeated and standardized for the optimum production of fruiting bodies with paddy straw as the substrate. Three types of spawn dispersal methods viz., alternate layer spawning, top layer spawning and substrate mixed spawning in mushroom beds were followed. The mushroom beds were monitored for their growth and fruiting bodies were harvested. The results of the study showed that alternate layer spawning method gave enhanced bioefficiency for pink oyster mushroom production.

Keywords: Pleurotus eous, sorghum seeds, spawn run, paddy straw, fruiting bodies, bioefficiency.