Effect of Methods of Substrates Pre-Treatment on Growth and Yield of White Milky Mushroom (Calocybeindica)

An experiment was carried out during summer season of 2012 to study the effect of substrates pre-treatment on growth and production of Calocybe indica. The results indicated that the substrates pre-treated by autoclaving (T1) recorded significantly shortest spawn run (20.25 days), pin head initiation after casing (6.50 days), maximum number of pin head (23.50) number of sporophores (15.00) and yield (1546.35 g per bed) in comparison to other treatments. Maximum Biological Efficiency (103.09 %) was also recorded by treatment T1. The substrates pre- treated by autoclaving recorded maximum length of stipe (14.76 cm), diameter of stipe (7.90 cm)& diameter of pileus (11.74 cm), weight of sporophore (103.09 g) followed by substrates pre-treated by hot water and by Formaldehyde @100 ml/100 liters water plus Bavistin (Carbendazim) @10 gm/100 litre of water. Although autoclaving was the best method for substrates pre-treatment, however substrates pre-treated by hot water and substrates pre-treated by formaldehyde @100 ml/100 litre of water plus Bavistin (Carbendazim) @10 g/100 litre of water provided to be a viable and promising methods of substrates pre-treatment which can be adopted to produce a good yield of milky mushroom (Calocybe indica) especially in rural areas where autoclave sterilization is not feasible.