Identification of a suitable substitute for polypropylene bags for Oyster mushroom Cultivation

Abstract

The polypropylene bags as containers for cultivating Oyster mushrooms, recommended by the Department of Agriculture. After the cultivation period, polypropylene bags were thrown out because bags cannot be reused for the next season, which causes heavy environmental pollution. The present study identified a suitable container for the substrate used in Oyster mushroom cultivation. A study was conducted in the mushroom unit, Matale. As treatments, T1: 15 cm height and 8 cm diameter polypropylene bags, T2: 15 cm height and 8 cm diameter glass bottles, T3: environmental friendly 90×40×12 cm3 wooden trays, T4: 60×40×12 cm plastic crates were used. Oyster mushroom spawns were prepared using Paddy seeds. Each of the polypropylene bags and glass bottles was filled with 350 g of wet substrate. Each wooden tray was filled with 15 kg of wet substrate. Each plastic crate was filled with 10 kg of wet substrate. A complete randomized design with five replicates was used for the experiment. After containers were filled with wet substrate, spawns were inserted. All containers were sealed and kept for 28 days in a dark room to complete the spawn run. After completing the spawn run, the treatments were transferred to the cropping room, and a temperature of 20 ◦C was maintained until fruiting body formation. In total, five flushes were harvested for the study. Data were analyzed using the ANOVA, and mean separation was done using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. The study revealed that the time taken for the first harvest was less than 53 days from inoculation in polypropylene bags and glass bottle containers. There was no significant difference between the polypropylene bags and the glass bottles on spawn running and pinhead formation. Therefore, glass bottles can be recommended as a substitute for polypropylene bags. Thus, the polypropylene bags and the glass bottle containers gave an excellent biological efficiency, then the wooden trays and plastic crates, which helps reduce the cost of production.