Methods of making mushroom.

1. Methods of making mushroom compost
Vijay Kumar
(Professor Soil Science, Retd.)
Consultant Faculty
and Ex Director of Extension Education
Maharana Partap Horticultural University
Karnal

2. Plant Chlorophyll
Nutrition
White Mushroom- Well Decomposed Compost
Shiitake Wood- Saw Dust
Oyster- Cellulose and Lagin
Moisture
Specific temperature
Carbon -Sugar Starch
Nitrogen Protein Amino Acid
vitamins and minerals
Material selection and requirements decomposition of
organic matter and addition of nutrients
pasteurization of compost

3. Basically three things are required for planting
this mushroom, they are
compost
spawn (mushroom seed)
Casing mix.
Although it is necessary for all three things to be
good, but to get good yield, having good compost
is most important. The material on which the
mushroom is grown is called compost, which is
made by mixing many substances in a certain
proportion. The main basis of compost is wheat
or paddy straw, but Ch Singh Haryana
Agricultural University, Hisar has found mustard
straw most suitable for making compost by
research.

4. There are two methods of making compost –
Long and short.
In both methods, the compost mixture is decomposed
on the floor outside, but in the short method, after
about two weeks, it is filled in a special type of room
known as a chamber or tunnel. The floor of the
chamber is perforated (have small hole for aeration)
and air is thrown from below by a blower (fan) which
passes through all the compost and goes upwards.
The same air is circulated by the blower into the
compost continuously for 6-7 days.
The production capacity of this compost is almost
twice that of the compost made by long duration.
Most of the farmers in India do not have the facility of
chamber because most of the farmers are small and
they make compost by long duration only. This method
is explained in detail.

5. Method of making compost for a long time
Formula 1 Formula 2 Formula
3
Wheat straw 300 kg 300 kg
Mustard straw - 300 kg
Poultry manure - 60 kg 60 kg
Wheat filtrate or bran 30 kg 7.5 kg 8 km
Gypsum 30 kg 30 kg 20 kg
Kisan Khad 9 kg 6 kg
(Calcium Ammonium Nitrate)
Urea 3.6 kg 2 kg 4 kg
Murate of Potash 3 kg 2 kg.
Single Super Phosphate - 3 kg, 2.9 kg 2 kg
Sheera (Rala) - 5 kg. 5 kg 5 kg

9. The straw used for making compost should be
fresh and not soaked in rain. Mustard straw can
also be taken in place of paddy straw or wheat
straw, but poultry manure is used with mustard
straw.
All the ingredients can be increased
proportionately to make more compost. In case
of non-availability of CAN (Calcium Amonium
Nitrate) fertilizer, the amount of urea ratio can be
increased. But the amount of nitrogen in fresh or
raw compost (0-day) should be around 1.6-1.7
percent. Using any of the above mixtures will
give about 600 kg of compost.

10. Compost making schedule
First of all, if possible, spread the straw on a
pucca floor, otherwise in a clean place, wet it
thoroughly with water for 2 days.
To wet the straw properly, the bottom of the
straw should be about one foot, and along
with pouring water, keep turning with the
tangli (jelly). After this, compost should be
made according to the program given below.

11. 0, 6, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 days
Day 0: Wet straw should be spread upto one foot.
Spread 6 kg CAN, 2.4 kg urea, 3 kg super
phosphate, 3 kg muirate of potash and 15 kg
wheat bran and mix well. After this, make the mats
5 feet high, 5 feet wide and length according to the
availability. After 24 hours of pile making, the
temperature inside the pile will start increasing and
reaches 70-75 degree celcius.
6 day (first turn): The outside of the pile open to
the wind dry quickly and the manure is not
decomposed well. The compost is turned over to
allow the all portion of the compost material to
reach the correct temperature for decomposition.
While flipping it must be kept in mind that the
outside part of the pile should go in and the inside
portion should come out.

12. Add remaining 3 kg CAN, 1.2 kg urea and 15 kg
bran. Make the pile look like 0 days again.
Day 10 (second turn): Remove one foot of
compost from the outside of the compost pile
and sprinkle it with water and put it in the middle
of the pile while turning. At the time of this
overturning, mix 5 kg of molasses in 10 liters of
water and mix it well in all the compost before
making a pile and sprinkle water lightly on the
dry part.

16. 13th day (3rd turn): Apply the fertilizer as given second
turn. In the same way, the third turn should be given.
Make sure to sprinkle a little water on the outside dry
part. Moisture in manure should neither be too much
nor less. 30 kg of gypsum should be mixed in the
compost. The compost heap should be broken in the
same way as it was broken on the second turn on the
10th day and then the same pile should be made
again.
16th day (fourth turn): Turning the compost pile over
again and make the pile again. Keep the moisture in
the compost properly.
19th day (fifth turn): Turning the compost pile over
again and make the pile again.
22 (Day 6): Turning the compost pile over again and
make the pile again.
25th day (seventh turn): Turning the compost heap
again and make the pile again.

17. 28th Day: On this day the compost is tested for
ammonia and moisture. If there is no smell of
ammonia gas in the manure and the amount of water
is also appropriate, then the manure is ready for
sowing. Open the compost heap before sowing, so
that the compost cools down, if special conditions If
ammonia gas is left in the manure, then it should be
kept on reversing every third day. There is a possibility
of ammonia gas in the manure of chicken manure.
Ammonia gas is harmful to mushroom webs or seeds.
The easiest way to determine the proper amount of
water is to try and squeeze a small amount of
compost into your fist. The water droplets should
come out between the fingers, but the water should
not form a stream. If the quantity of water is more than
the requirement, then the manure should be opened
and ventilated.

19. Precautions
1. For compost making the straw should be
fresh have shine and not rotten
2. Don’t start making compost before
September
3. While making compost the moisture
should be 65-70%. We can cover the heap
with polythene when raining
4. Too wet or too dry make compost hinder
the mycelium to spared
5. In every turning observe the moisture
6. In case the moisture is above the 70% the
chances of increasing disease are very high

20. Short method of preparation compost:-
In short method the composting material is placed in
chamber or turnel. For making 100 quintal dry straw
compost, the chamber should be of 35ft in length, 10ft
in width and 12ft in height. This chamber is insulated
with thermocol sheet so that inside heat may not lost.
The floor of chamber is perforated from where the air
is passed at the pressure with 3 horse power motor
having fan of 1440 RPH. This maintain the
temperature of compost uniformly and the compost is
prepared rapidly. In chamber the compost is filled up
to the height of 7ft and compost temperature is
maintained to 60oc for 6-8 hours so that all insect,
pest and nematodes are being killed. Care should be
taken that the compost temperature should never go
beyond 60oc. After this the compost temperature is
maintained to 48 to 52oc for 6-7 days.

21. In this method we can produce one and half to
double compost with less disease. With this
method we can produce 250 quintal of compost
with 100 quintal dry straw. The short is much better
method for preparing good quality of compost with
less insect pest infection, however this method is
costly.
With this method, the compost is prepared in 2
phases.
Phase I – Outdoor preparation.
Phase II- Indoor preparation.
The schedule for out door preparation is will be 4,
2, 0, 4, 6, 8, 10 days.

22. -4 days:- For preparation of compost first of soak the straw with
water for 10-24 hours depending upon the material use. For wheat
straw soak upto 24 hours where as paddy straw is soaked for 10
hours. We can mixed different type of straw such as wheat, rice,
mustard. When straw is complete wet make the layers of 1.5 ft. to
2.0ft. pressing hard the wet material.
-2 days:- Break the layer and add water depending upon
requirement i.e. straw should be completely wet. The again
prepare the layer of 1.5 to 2.0 ft. height.
0 day:- Place all the material required well and prepare layer of 5
ft wide and 5ft height the length depending upon material and
space.
2nd day – The stag is turned on this day. This will be First turning.
4th day – The stag is turned on this day i.e. 2nd turning.
6th day – Third turning.
8th day – Forth turning.

23. After this the phase II will start on 10h day. On this day material will
be placed in turnel or banker. The floor of Banker have 3 inch
P.V.C perforated pipe layer in II lines. The fresh air is passed
through these lines for the span of 5 minutes at the interval of 15
minutes. The stick thermometer are place in chamber to measure
the temperature of compost time to time.
Now all the compost is shifted to another banker. We have to note
the moisture condition of the compost if dry spray more water as
per the requirement and pass fresh air for 5 minutes by blowers at
he interval of 15 minutes. At this time the temperature of compost
may raise upto 75oc.
Day:- Now shift the compost to first banker. The moisture in the
compost should be 65-70% and pass the fresh air for 5 minutes by
blower at the interval of 15 minutes.

34. Banker no. 2 and pass the fresh air for for 5 minutes by blower at
the interval of 15 minutes. Now the colour of compost would be
dark brown.
Day:- fill all the compost in pasteurization chamber. The height of
layer should not be more than 6-7 feet. Do not press the compost so
that air should circulate properly. The chamber is closed and it
should be air tight. After that pass the fresh air for half an hour.
After that inside air of chamber is circulated by blower so that air
inside is circulated. Now the temperature of compost may be 50-
55oc. Next day reduce the air circulation to raise the temperature
upto 50oc. This will kill all the insect pest. This temperature is
maintained for 6-8 hours. Then reduce the temperature to 48-52oc
and keep the compost for 6 days. Inter intently pass the fresh air for
10-15 % with this short method the compost is prepared for 18
days.

35. Characteristics of good compost or manure
1. The color of the finished manure should be dark
brown.
2. 2. The amount of water in the manure should be
68-70 percent.
3. 3. Nitrogen should be around 2.3-2.5% in the
finished compost.
4. 4. The finished manure should not smell of
ammonia.