Improved techniques to enhance the yield of paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) for commercial cultivation

Cultivation of Volvariella volvacea in circular compact bed method recorded maximum yield of 972.8 g/bed (biological efficiency of 23.8%). Seeding the beds with 15 and 20 days old spawn with well developed chlamydospores contributed for significantly higher yields. Oil palm bunch waste in combination with rice straw or alone recorded significantly higher yields of 876.3 and 832 g/bed, and cotton waste, in combination with rice straw or alone, recorded 841.6 g and 778 g/bed, respectively. In vitro evaluation of the micronutrient based boosters VVB1 (CaCO3 400 ppm + CaCl2 50 ppm + KH2PO4 50 ppm + NaCl 50 ppm + Na2HPO4 50 ppm) and VVB2 (CaCl2 400 ppm + Na2HPO4 100 ppm) produced profuse mycelium with aerial silky strands, early chlamydospore formation (20.8 and 21.8 days) and increased chlamydospore density (7.8 × 102 and 7.2 × 102 spores/ml). Yields of 960 g/bed with more number of sturdy fruiting bodies were observed in beds sprayed with VVB1. V. volvacea can be successfully cultivated from March to September with 18 to 20% biological efficiency. Storage of V. volvacea at egg stage in air tight plastic box at deep freeze (-20°C) conditions remained intact until 36 h without spoilage.Keywords: Paddy straw mushroom, Volvariella volvacea, boosters, bed methods, cultivation technique

Antifungal Volatilomes Mediated Defense Mechanism against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, the Incitant of Tomato Wilt

In this study, the volatilomes of naturally growing plant leaves were immobilized in a suitable substrate to enhance vapors’ diffusion in the soil to eradicate the Fusarium wilt pathogens in Tomato. Volatilomes produced by Mentha spicata leaves immobilized in vermiculite ball was found to be effective and exhibit 92.35 percent inhibition on the mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL). Moreover, the volatilomes of M. spicata immobilized vermiculite balls were tested based on the distance traveled by the diffused volatilomes from the ball and revealed that the volatilomes of M. spicata traveled up to 20 cm distance from the center of PVC (Polyvinly chloride) chamber showed maximum reduction in colony growth of FOL at 12th day after inoculation. Tomato plants inoculated with FOL revealed increased expressions of defense gene, pathogenesis related protein (PR1) with 2.63-fold after 72 h and the gene, transcription factor (WRKY) increased with 2.5-fold after 48 h on exposure to the volatilomes of M. spicata vermiculite balls. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on development of volatilomes based vermiculite ball formulations. This result indicated that the volatilomes of M. spicata are promising phyto-fumigants for management of Tomato Fusarial wilt