International Journal of Botany Studies
www.botanyjournals.com
ISSN: 2455-541X
Received: 21-04-2021, Accepted: 07-05-2021, Published: 24-05-2021
Volume 6, Issue 3, 2021, Page No. 279-282
Mushroom cultivation on agricultural wastes for environmental sustainability and food security
Jaya Pawar, Umesh Kakde*
Department of Botany, Institute of Science Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Abstract
India with its varied agro climatic zones is amenable to grow a wide variety of food crops and horticultural products. Due to
extensive agricultural practices, lignocellulosic wastes are abundant in India. The role of fungi is significant in recycling of
this organic waste and in releasing nutrients in the soil. The property of edible mushroom fungi to convert complex organic
compounds into simpler ones is used to transform the useless agricultural waste into valuable product. It is also an
environmental friendly method to reduce the nutrient level of agricultural wastes as acceptable range and to be used as manure.
A blend of agricultural wastes gives high yield of mushroom in a cost effective manner. Farming of edible fungi on
agricultural waste could aid in improving the socio-economic status of large percentage of populations especially in rural
areas. Diversification in any farming system imparts sustainability. Mushrooms are one such component which not only impart
diversification but also help in addressing the problems of quality food, health and environmental related issues. Production of
edible mushrooms represents exclusive utilization of microbial technology for bioconversion of the agricultural wastes into
nutritious food (mushrooms).
In order to promote this idea and establish mushroom production practices on agricultural wastes, there is a need to develop an
infrastructure for the production of mushroom inoculums and train people in mushroom cultivation. These horticulture
ventures have a promising scope to reduce environmental pollution caused by these wastes and also meet the food shortages,
without undue pressure on land. This article focuses on utilising agricultural residues or waste for the cultivation of mushroom
for food security as well as environmental sustainability. The main objective of this paper is to boost the mushroom industry
and rural economy and to provide useful technical knowledge regarding important mushrooms species that grow on agro-
wastes.
Keywords: sustainability lignocellulosic wastes; agriculture; recycling; nutrients; solid-waste management; food security;
mushrooms
Introduction mushroom generation prompting nutritious sustenance and
India has huge resources which are favourable in developing additionally natural excrement for harvests (Poppe, 2000)
[15]
mushroom cultivation technology into a large scale industry. . In India, there are major five mushroom species that
Disposal of agricultural wastes is of prime concern as they cultivated commercially viz., Agaricus bisporus (white
are rich in nutrient and their clearance without pre-treatment button mushroom), Pleurotus spp. (oyster), Volvariella
can cause leaching in fields, causing environment pollution. volvacea (paddy straw mushroom), Calocybeindica (milky
Mushroom cultivation is very effective means for utilising mushroom) and Lentinula edodes (shiitake). Even though
agricultural solid waste into nutritious food. These processes cultivation technologies of many exotic species have been
not only convert the agriculture waste into good fertilizers standardized, the markets are still dominated by button
but also convert the waste into protein rich super foods. mushroom Agaricus bisporus, oysters Pleurotus spp. and
Mushroom cultivation on these agricultural wastes can Volvariella volvacea. China is the world’s largest producer
overcome this problem in the most eco-friendly way to of edible mushrooms, supplying over 30 million ton, or 87%
reduce the level of nutrients at adequate range and to be of global supply (Royse et al., 2016) [23].
used as manure. Also a defined combination of agricultural Agricultural waste mainly consists of cellulose and lignin
wastes will give high yield of mushroom in a cost effective materials which are the complex carbohydrates and
manner. breakdown of these materials is a very difficult task. They
In one study, it has found that production of one pound of are insoluble and bind to inert substances in the soil. Hence
mushrooms requires only 1.8 gallons of water and one these are out of reach of different bacteria in the soil.
kilowatt hours of energy and it generates only 0.7 pound of Mycelium of mushroom is able to release the extracellular
CO2. The annual average yield of mushrooms is around 7.1 enzymes, which are responsible for the degradation of
pound per square foot (Anonymous, 2017; Robinson et al., lignin. Pleurotus and Lentinus have their own enzyme
2019) [1]. systems based on endoglucanase, laccase and
White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) is the most phenoloxidases. The large amount of agricultural wastes and
common edible mushroom in the United States and the appropriate climatic conditions provide massive scope for
second largest producer after China. It was assessed that oyster mushroom cultivation in Sagar, M.P. (Vyas et al.
India creates million tons of agrarian waste, leafy foods 2009) [31].
build-up, coir husk, dried leaves, pruning's, coffee husk, tea The property of edible mushroom fungi to convert complex
waste which can possibly be reused as substrate for organic compounds into simpler ones is used to transform
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International Journal of Botany Studies www.botanyjournals.com
the useless agricultural waste into valuable product (Jain et cultivation of mushroom and are reported to be ideal
al., 2003) [8]. Besides having many nutritional values they substrate. Various oil seed cake, powdered pulses, wheat
are also useful in waste management. The choice of and rice bran etc are surprisingly added as supplements
mushroom species for the cultivation is depends upon the (Bahukhandi, 1990). Vegetable waste when used in
availability of growth media i.e. substrates. Oyster combination with paddy straw resulted in high yield of
mushroom is the third most cultivated edible mushroom in oyster mushroom (Ralph et al., 1994) [17]. The substrate for
the world (Royse, 2003) [22]. Pleurotus spp. cultivations supplemented with cotton linter
(cotton seedcake) at the rate of 259g/3kg dry substrate (8%)
Agro-waste as a substrate had given the best results (Bano and Rajarathnam, 1979).
In India, agriculture sector contributes about 17 percent of On barley straw and sugar beet pulp substrate
country’s total GDP which gives employment to complemented with rice bran, highest mushroom fresh
approximately two third of the population. However, its weight and moisture content were achieved (Zadrail et al.,
potential has not been tapped due to under-development of 1992). Supplemented straw with cottonseed powder, yeast
the food sector in India (NIAM Research Study Report, mud, groundnut cake and rice bran led best response
2011-12). India is the second largest agro-based economy concerning yield of Pleurotus spp. To cultivate P. ostreatus
with year-round crop cultivation, generates an sawdust additionally to rice husks is reported as an optimal
outsized amount of agricultural waste, including crop substrate (Singh et al., 2012). The quality of P. eryngii was
residues. India generates about 500 Mt of agricultural significantly affected by substrate ingredients. For Pleurotus
waste per annum. In the absence of adequate sustainable sajor-caju, combination of soybean straw, wheat straw
management practices, approximately 92 Mt of crop waste showed significantly highest yield while soybean straw and
is burned per annum in India, causing excessive particulate saw dust combination showed significantly lesser yield
matter emissions and pollution. Burning of agricultural (Rani et al., 2008).
wastes is a major environmental concern as it is causing
health issues as well as contributing to global warming Supplements used with agricultural wastes toboost up
(Bhuvaneshwari et al., 2019) [4]. yield of mushrooms
Fungi can transform lignocelluloses waste into organic An addition to the biological and chemical supplement with
matter rich soil. In sustainable mushroom cultivation the basal substrate has been a standard practice to reinforce the
important mushrooms species can recycle agricultural yield, nutritional and medicinal values. From the very
residues or any other organic waste into satiable food i.e. beginning of mushroom agriculture; integrated use of varied
delicious protein rich mushrooms. Mushrooms get nutrition nitrogen and carbon rich chemical and biological
from cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin, which are supplements was began to reinforce yield. Jandaik and
abundantly available in agricultural residues like wheat Kapoor (1974) reported addition of oat meal and arhar dal
straw. Agricultural wastes such as wheat/paddy/rice straw, powder for better yield of Pleurotus spp. Moreover, it had
cotton/coffee straw, rice bran, molasses, banana leaves, tea been observed that supplementation of mushroom beds with
leaves, cotton straw, saw dust etc. are the most commonly Horse Gram flour (Besan) after the spawn run significantly
used for the cultivation of mushrooms. increased the mushroom yield (Bano et al., 1978).
For the cultivation of Pleurotus rice straw, wheat straw and Agricultural wastes are used alongside supplements like
cotton straw is generally used while for Agaricus, wheat gypsum, lime and urea. Gypsum provides calcium and
straw is typically used. However, straw is overloaded with regulates the acidity level during the expansion of the
other microorganisms, and it is very essential to get free of mushrooms. Water holding capacity of gypsum is high
these microorganisms, as the mushroom mycelium will be which prevent excess wetting of the substrate. Lime is
unable grow in their presence, especially when mushrooms employed to regulate pH. Mushroom cultivation needs
are to be grown indoors. appropriate nitrogen content for top yield, which may be
Banana leaves and tea leaves are used for Volvariella and fulfil by various components like, urea, bran, edible seed,
Pleurotus respectively. Sturion (1994) [27] proposed using molasses, manure (Reis et al., 2012) [20].
banana leaves for the cultivation of Pleurotus spp. Sawdust
must be supplemented with a nitrogen source like bran, Optimal conditions for cultivation of mushrooms
urea, sunflower seed and horse manure. Ganoderma can be For significantly high yield of mushroom appropriate
cultivated using sawdust (Shashitha et al., 2016) [24]. composition of biological and chemical supplements with
Various legume crop wastes viz. soybean, mash clover, basal substrate and optimum conditions of the environment
kulthi and mixture of soybean, mash and kulthi (1:1:1) were during cultivation should also be maintained. The common
found effective in cultivating P. sajor-caju (Pal and Paul, optimum conditions should be maintained. The common
1985) [13]. Rana and Subag (1990) [18] recorded that gram optimum conditions that ought to be maintained during
pod waste together with wheat straw (1:1) improved cultivation are mentioned as below.
mushroom yields by 5.26% over the wheat straw alone. Temperatures should be maintained between the range of
Growth of oyster mushroom resulted similar in paddy straw 15-35°C and pH of about 6.5. Carbon dioxide (CO2) level
and wheat straw while in sugarcane bagasse it resulted in should be between 15-20% and humidity between 86-
low yield. Reason behind this selective high yield must be
90%.Humidity levels and temperatures should be controlled
appropriate concentration of lignin, hemicelluloses,
cellulose in substrate (Elahe et al., 2016) [7]. at 86% and 10-28°C respectively.
Various agricultural substrates used for cultivation Future aspects
In addition to the use of supplements a variety of India contributes 14% of total world vegetable production
combinations of agricultural wastes are also used for the and therefore the total waste generated involves about 50
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