Performance of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) grown on different fingermillet husk substrates

Substrate type is one of the major factors affecting the growth and yield of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus). Five substrates; Finger millet husk, Fingermillet husk + Molasses, Fingermillet husk + Rice bran, Fingermillet husk + Wheat bran, Fingermillet husk +Mustard oilseed cake, were evaluated for growth and productivity of oyster mushroom. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with each treatment replicated seven times. Additives were added on finger millet husk @5% of its dry weight. Standard cultivation practice was followed with steam sterilization and spawning was done in poly bags containing 2.5 kg of wet substrate. Data were collected on time taken for full spawn run, fresh mushroom yield, biological efficiency and cropping duration upto three flushes. Molasses took the least duration (16.86 days) for full spawn run which was found to be statistically at par with wheat bran(17.13 days) and rice bran(17.75 days) whereas control treatment took the longest duration (21.62 days). Rice bran produced the highest fresh mushroom yield (793.04g/bag) with highest biological efficiency (137.92%), which was statistically at par with control, molasses and wheat bran. Similarly, rice bran had least cropping duration (66.62 days) followed by control (67.88 days), molasses (69.14 days), wheat bran (70.12 days) and mustard oilseed cake (73.86 days). The lowest fresh yield (521.84 g/bag) with lowest biological efficiency (90.75%) and the longest cropping duration (73.86 days) was observed on mustard oilseed cake supplementation. This study revealed that molasses, rice bran and wheat bran accelerated spawn run whereas mustard oilseed cake supplementation produced lowest fresh mushroom yield with least biological efficiency and highest cropping duration showing that it was ineffective for increasing yield and productivity of oyster mushroom

Effect of different substrate sterilization methods on performance of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Saabunud / Received 21.01.2021 ; Aktsepteeritud / Accepted 16.04.2021 ; Avaldatud veebis / Published online 16.04.2021 ; Vastutav autor / Corresponding author: Sanju Shrestha [email protected] sterilization of substrates is an indispensable step in oyster mushroom cultivation. Oyster mushroom growers in Nepal usually follow three different substrate sterilization methods; however, their comparative effectiveness is vastly unexplored. Thus, these experiments were carried out at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Lamjung Campus, Lamjung, Nepal from January to March, in the years 2017 and 2019. The objective of these experiments was to identify the most appropriate method of sterilization. Three different types of sterilization methods viz chemical sterilization (formaldehyde + carbendazim), steam sterilization, and hot-water sterilization were evaluated for the growth parameters and productivity of oyster mushroom cultivated on rice straw. The experiments were laid out on Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with ten replications. The results showed that the spawning rate was 3.2% of the wet substrate. Data were collected until the third flush. A significantly longer duration to colonize the substrate (29.7 days) was observed under chemical sterilization. The oyster mushroom performed best under steam sterilization as it took the shortest time for pinhead formation (34.30 days), fruiting body formation (43.60 days), cropping duration (89.30 days), and produced the highest mushroom yield (1401.9 g per 4 kg bag), and consequently, the highest biological efficiency (101.38%). Average pileus diameter and stipe length were statistically indifferent among the treatments suggesting the significant effect of sterilization methods on the yield of oyster mushroom but not on its morphological attributes

Effect of different levels of nitrogen and farmyard manure on the growth and yield of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.)

Saabunud / Received 10.05.2021 ; Aktsepteeritud / Accepted 05.09.2021 ; Avaldatud veebis / Published online 05.09.2021 ; Vastutav autor / Corresponding author: Parbati Thapa [email protected] application of nitrogen (N) and farmyard manure (FYM) greatly affects the growth and production of spinach. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of various levels of nitrogen and farmyard manure on the growth and yield of spinach. This study was conducted in the research field of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Lamjung, Sundarbazar, Lamjung, Nepal from November 2019 to January 2020. The treatments were: 0 kg N ha–1, 30 kg N ha–1, 60 kg N ha–1, 60 kg N ha–1 + 10 t FYM ha–1, 60 kg N ha–1 + 20 t FYM ha–1, 90 kg N ha–1 and 120 kg N ha–1. These treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results showed that higher N levels gave better results for all parameters studied. The increasing N fertilization rates increased the vegetative characters and yield of spinach. The maximum plant height (22.68 cm), leaf width (6.69 cm), number of leaves (12.93), fresh weight of leaves (17.07 g) and leaf length (14.94 cm) were recorded with the application of the highest level of nitrogen (120 kg N ha–1). The spinach yield (3.2 t ha–1) was the highest with the application of 120 kg N ha–1. However, the growth and yield traits were not significantly differed with the application of 60 kg N ha–1 + 20 t FYM ha–1. Therefore, this study suggests that spinach production can be maximized by the application of 60 kg N ha–1+ 20 t FYM ha–1

Measurement of background radiation in Jhapa, Ilam, Panchthar, and Taplejung districts of Nepal

In this study, we investigated the levels of background radiation in different locations across the Eastern part of Koshi province, specifically in Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, and Jhapa. We used a portable Geiger Muller counter to collect data from twenty different locations, with five sites taken from each district. The average absorbed dose rate was found to be 0.243±0.035 mSv/y. The highest measured value of absorbed dose was 0.335±0.041 mSv/y at Pathivara temple in Taplejung, and the lowest was found to be 0.197±0.039 mSv/y at Kakarvita, Jhapa. The results suggest that these four districts do not pose any radiation risk because it was below the threshold of risk (1mSv/y). We also measured the variation of absorption dose with altitude which is positively correlated with altitude with a correlation coefficient of +0.57. This might be because of the surge in cosmic radiation with an increase in altitude

Measurement of background radiation in Jhapa, Ilam, Panchthar, and Taplejung districts of Nepal

In this study, we investigated the levels of background radiation in different locations across the Eastern part of Koshi province, specifically in Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, and Jhapa. We used a portable Geiger Muller counter to collect data from twenty different locations, with five sites taken from each district. The average absorbed dose rate was found to be 0.243±0.035 mSv/y. The highest measured value of absorbed dose was 0.335±0.041 mSv/y at Pathivara temple in Taplejung, and the lowest was found to be 0.197±0.039 mSv/y at Kakarvita, Jhapa. The results suggest that these four districts do not pose any radiation risk because it was below the threshold of risk (1mSv/y). We also measured the variation of absorption dose with altitude which is positively correlated with altitude with a correlation coefficient of +0.57. This might be because of the surge in cosmic radiation with an increase in altitude

Digital soil mapping in the Bara district of Nepal using kriging tool in ArcGIS

Digital soil mapping has been widely used to develop statistical models of the relationships between environmental variables and soil attributes. This study aimed at determining and mapping the spatial distribution of the variability in soil chemical properties of the agricultural floodplain lands of the Bara district in Nepal. The study was carried out in 23 Village Development Committees with 12,516 ha total area, in the southern part of the Bara district. A total of 109 surface soil samples (0 to 15 cm depth) were collected and analyzed for pH, organic matter (OM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P, expressed as P2O5), potassium (K, expressed as K2O), zinc (Zn), and boron (B) status. Descriptive statistics showed that most of the measured soil chemical variables (other than pH and P2O5) were skewed and nonnormally distributed and logarithmic transformation was then applied. A geostatistical tool, kriging, was used in ArcGIS to interpolate measured values for those variables and several digital map layers were developed based on each soil chemical property. Geostatistical interpolation identified a moderate spatial variability for pH, OM, N, P2O5, and a weak spatial variability for K2O, Zn, and B, depending upon the use of amendments, fertilizing methods, and tillage, along with the inherent characteristics of each variable. Exponential (pH, OM, N, and Zn), Spherical (K2O and B), and Gaussian (P2O5) models were fitted to the semivariograms of the soil variables. These maps allow farmers to assess existing farm soils, thus allowing them to make easier and more efficient management decisions and maintain the sustainability of productivity

A Short Note on Linkage of Climatic Records between Terai and Mid-mountain of Central Nepal

The steep North to South (N-S) gradient and complex topography markssignificant variations in the spatial and temporal patterns of climatic variation surrounding within a few distances in the Nepal Himalayas. Hence,to validate climatic linkages between the stations under two distinct topographic conditions, the study examines the observational climatic data from 106m a.s.l. and 1801m a.s.l., as a representative station from a plain and hilly area. Different statistical tools including Pearson correlation analysis and a best-fit regression model were applied to analyze climate data. The analysis of 13129 daily average temperature records and 13147 daily total precipitation records showed that the variation in their sum and average of daily, five days, ten days, and monthly values between the stations in the different elevations marked significantly.Despite these variations, temperature records are measured to be consistent in different altitudes and strongly correlated. The precipitation data showed a comparatively weaker correlation. The coefficients (0.85-1.6) with R2 >0.50 in the regression models for the lower elevation and higher elevation station in the mid-mountain region except for the monsoon season. It indicated a similar fluctuation of temperature between these two stations in the respective area. The strong degree of association and the change of climatic parameters in different range and elevations indicate the possibilities of using climatic data from Terai to represent the Mid-mountain region of central Nepal