Effect of compost compression, perforation in compost bags and watering schedule on yield of white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus

Abstract

The study presents the results of compost compression, perforation in compost bags and the watering regime on the fruit body yield of the white button mushroom, A. bisporus. In four cultivation trials performed during different periods of three years in 10 kg compost bags, least time for first harvest (days post-casing) was recorded in compost compressed up to 3" along with perforation in compost filled polybags @ 30 holes of 0.5 cm dia / bag. In different compost compression treatments, the first harvest was earlier and also fruit body yield (kg/ 100kg compost) was higher in bags with perforation compared to bags without perforation. The yield was highest in bags without any compression of compost but with perforation, followed by bags compressed up to 5" depth along with perforation. The average fruit body wt. was above 13 g in all the treatments but in most of the cases it was higher in bags with perforation in compost bags. The spent mushroom substrate from the high yielding treatments was found to have higher nitrogen content than in treatments with lower yield. Heavy watering on day 0, 4^th and 7^th, followed by routine spray of water gave higher fruit body yield.