Effects of Casing Soil Amendments and Nutrient Supplementation on Mushroom Cropping

Three strains of Agaricus bisporus, i.e, Albidus, Avellanum and Horst 0-3 were cultivated in controlled environments. The effect of some nutrient supplementation in the casing material on crop productivity, was studied. The number and yield of mushrooms increased when leucine, sodium chloride and yeast extract were added to the casing at 10 ppm at three day intervals for seven weeks. The size of the fruiting bodies were, also, found to be larger than that of check treatment. The best yield was obtained when the trays were treated with yeast extract. The addition of spawn-run compost (compost fully colonized by fungal mycelium) to casing material resulted in early initiation and development of sporophores, early completion of cropping, and a yield of mushrooms higher by 18-25% depending on the strain. The number of days required for appearance of fruiting bodies primordia and for the harvest was, also reduced by 4-5 days. Horst 0-3 was found to be the best strain as far as the period of cropping and total yeild were concerned. These results offer good prospects for increasing the production of mushrooms in commercial farms