Optimizations of parameters for quality spawn production

Abstract

Different wheat varieties namely DWR 16, PBW 550, DWR 39, DBW 17, DPW 621-50, DBW 14 and HD 2967 were evaluated for spawn production of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus strain U-3). DPW 621-50 resulted in maximum downward linear growth followed by DBW 17 and HD 2967, respectively. Analysis of nutritional profile of different varieties revealed that DPW 621-50 was having the highest protein content (12.6 %) and dry (10.7 %) as well as wet (33.1 %) gluten content among all the seven varieties analyzed. Washing wheat grains with cold water once, twice or thrice immediately after boiling had considerable effect on quality of spawn. Downward linear growth of A. bisporus mycelia was higher in case of single washing as compared to twice or thrice washing and unwashed control. In all 25 combinations were tried out of which T25 (2% CaSO4 and 2% CaCO₃ , pH 6.48) resulted in maximum downward linear growth of A. bisporus mycelium followed by T20 (1.5% CaSO3 and 2% CaCO3 , pH 6.4), T19 (1.5% CaSO4  and 1.5% CaCO3,  pH 6.15) and T24 (2% CaSO₄ and 1.5% CaCO3,  pH 6.42).