A new casing formulation for enhancing yield of milky mushroom, Calocybe indica

Abstract

The global popularity of milky mushrooms, Calocybe indica, is increasing due to their impressive size. appealing milky appearance, delicious taste, attractive colour, excellent shelf life, and unique texture. The casing layer is crucial for inducing fructification in milky mushrooms, providing moisture, physical support, and facilitating gas exchange. The present study evaluated various casing material combinations to find suitable options for commercially cultivation of milky mushroom C. indica. Different raw materials, viz., raw coir pith, Arka Fermented Cocopeat (AFC), MnSO4, milky mushroom grown substrate, and sandy, loamy soil, were evaluated individually and in different combinations. It was observed that the combination of AFC and sandy, loamy soil in a ratio of 60:40 resulted in a higher milky mushroom yield of 156.90g/kg wet substrate. Similarly, casing sandy loamy soil treated with MnSO4 (150 ppm) resulted in a higher yield of 198.83g/kg wet substrate. Additionally, the combination of casing soil and milky mushroom colonized substrate in a ratio of 90:10 led to a higher mushroom yield of 174g/kg wet substrate. The casing combination of the mushroom colonized substrate (10%), MnSO4 (100 ppm), AFC (600g), and sandy loam soil (400g) exhibited the highest mushroom yield of 241.2g/kg wet substrate.