REDUCING COMPOST COSTS WITH MUSTARD MEAL: A GAME CHANGER IN MUSHROOM CULTIVATION

Abstract

Considering the constraints due to unavailability of uniform quality chicken manure in local market, three different combinations of wheat and mustard meal (de-oiled cake) were tested for their ability to affect yield and cost of production of Button Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). Compost was prepared by mixing 18, 22 and 25% mustard meal with wheat straw by short method of composting. 80% chicken manure with wheat straw was the control. All the ingredients composted for 18 days of two phases composting using tunnel for peak heating as advocated by Shandilya et al, 1976, fresh grain spawn was obtained from Bharat Mushrooms, Delhi, India. Formaldehyde treated casing soil (2:1 mixture of 2 year old farm yard manure and garden soil) was used for casing of beds. The results indicate that all the combinations affected yield and proved to be promising factors for low cost production of mushroom. Combination with 22% mustard meal gave the maximum production of Mushroom (226 Kg/ton of compost).

Subject: Basic science