Paddy Straw Mushroom: Cultivation of paddy straw mushroom using paddy straw is the oldest and commonly used technique but it gives very low mushroom yield (10-15% of dry substrate). This mushroom has the ability to grow at a higher temperature (28-35oC) It can be grown on comparatively cheaper agro-industrial wastes It is fast growing thus has very short cropping cycle (30days).

Its cultivation technology is easy . It has good acceptability at consumers’ level National Status: In India, this mushroom is cultivated under natural conditions in Orissa, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, but with low mushroom yield. International Status: It is cultivated in most of the South East Asian countries like Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and China. China alone produces around 6, 00, 000 tons of this mushroom annually, both for local and foreign market.

Indoor Cultivation Technology: This technology has been perfected by using paddy straw and Cotton Ginning Mill waste. It gives higher mushroom yield (35-40% biological efficiency) and has the potential to bring the cultivation of this mushroom at semi-industrialized level.

Wetting of substrate to achieve 60-65% moisture Out door composting for 4 days Filling on racks in cropping room at a thickness of 12-15cm Pasteurization on next day with in cropping room at 62-64oC for 3-4 hours Conditioning at 45-50oC for 2-3 days till complete elimination of Ammonia Cooling of substrate to bring temperature at 30-35oC and spawning Spawn run for 4-5 days at 32-35oC Removal of plastic sheets from spawned substrate and maintaining room temperature at 28-32oC, RH-80-85%, intermittent fresh air circulation and fluorescent light for 4-5 hours/day.

Starting of first flush harvest after 9-10 days of spawning Total harvesting period of 20 days Harvesting at button stage, packaging and sale of fresh produce with in one day