Enhancing the Biological Efficiency of Paddy Straw Mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) using Semi-composting Method of Cultivation in Odisha

Background: Paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) commonly known as the straw mushroom, in India, commonly referred to as “Pual mushrooms”, “Pala chhatu” in odia belongs to Phylum-Basidiomycota, Class-Basidiomycetes, Order-Agaricales, Family-Pluteaceae and Genus Volvariella. It is being the third most important cultivated mushroom in the world is well known for its pleasant flavour and taste. Methods: An experiment was conducted to evaluate paddy straw and other locally available substrates for production of paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) in Odisha under semi-compost method. Substrates viz. Paddy straw (crumpled and uncrumpled), Paddy straw+ Banana leaves (3:1, w/w), Paddy straw+ Cotton waste (3:1, w/w), Paddy straw+ Water hyacinth (3:1, w/w), Paddy straw + Banana leaves +Water hyacinth (2:1:1, w/w) were partially decomposed and evaluated against traditional undecomposed method of cultivation. Result: Paddy straw (uncrumpled / hand threshed / bundled), when semi-composted, sustained significantly higher mushroom yield (15.63% BE) as compared to the yield (11.50% BE) obtained from its un-decomposed state in traditional method of cultivation. When other wastes such as cotton waste, banana leaves and water hyacinth were mixed with un-crumpled straw, the biological efficiency increased further (16.06 -19.29% BE). Paddy straw mixed with cotton waste (3:1, w/w) sustained the highest yield potential (19.29% BE). It was also recorded that semi composted crumpled/ cattle threshed paddy straw (12.0% BE) was statistically at par with the non-composted uncrupmled/ hand threshed paddy straw (11.50% BE) in supporting the mushroom yield.