Title of Invention	A PROCES FOR PREPARING SUBSTRATES FOR CULTIVATION OF BUTTON MUSHROOMS OF BOTH WINTER AND SUMMER VARIETIES.
Abstract	TITLE: A PROCESS FOR PREPARING SUBSTRATES FOR CULTIVATION OF BUTTON MUSHROOMS OF BOTH WINTER AND SUMMER VARIETIES. CONVENTIONAL LONG AND SHORT METHODS OF PRODUCING BUTTON MUSHROOM USED CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS, PESTICIDES, GROWTH PROMOTERS, ETC., AND TOOK A LONG TIME TO PRODUCE PRODUCTS OF DESIRED QUALITY. MOREOVER, LARGE QUANTITIES OF INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED WHICH ADD TO THE COST OF PRODUCTION. THIS INVENTION AIMS AT OVERCOMING THE ABOVE DEFECTS AND PROVIDE A PROCESS FOR PREPARING SUBSTRATES WHICH COMPRISES - (I) SELECTING DRY CELLULOSE AND LIGNIN-RICH VEGETATIVE MATTERS IN CHOPPED AND SHREDDED CONDITION; (II) SOAKING THE CHOPPED AND SHREDDED BODIES IN WATER FOR AROUND 24 HOURS; (III) WETTING DRY COWDUNG IN WATER IN A PROPORTION OF AROUND 1 : 1.5-2.5 BY WEIGHT OVER A PERIOD OF AROUND 24 HOURS; (IV) MIXING THE SOAKED, CHOPPED AND SHREDDED BODIES AND COWDUNG TOGETHER FOLLOWED BY THE ADDITION OF THE UNDERNOTED INGREDIENTS :- (a) GRAM (CICER ARIETINUM) -12-20% BY WT., (b) CALCIUM CARBONATE POWDER - 7.5-15% BY WT., AND (c) GYPSUM POWDER - 3-7.5% BY WT. ; (V) THOROUGHLY MIXING THE INGREDIENTS OF STEP (IV) AND PLACING THE MIXTURE IN BAGS OF SYNTHETIC MATERIAL CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 120 DEGREE-125 DEGREE C PLUGGED WITH COTTON; (VI) STERILIZING THE BAGS WITH THEIR CONTENTS IN AN AUTOCLAVE FORAROUND 15-25 MINS AND COOLING THEM DOWN TO AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. THE PRESENT INVENTION ALSO ENVISAGES PRODUCTION OF BUTTON MUSHROOMS BY INOCULATING THE STERLIZED SUBSTRATES WITH SUITABLE SPAWNS,INCUBATING, FOLLOWED BY CASING.

Title of Invention

A PROCES FOR PREPARING SUBSTRATES FOR CULTIVATION OF BUTTON MUSHROOMS OF BOTH WINTER AND SUMMER VARIETIES.

Abstract

TITLE: A PROCESS FOR PREPARING SUBSTRATES FOR CULTIVATION OF BUTTON MUSHROOMS OF BOTH WINTER AND SUMMER VARIETIES. CONVENTIONAL LONG AND SHORT METHODS OF PRODUCING BUTTON MUSHROOM USED CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS, PESTICIDES, GROWTH PROMOTERS, ETC., AND TOOK A LONG TIME TO PRODUCE PRODUCTS OF DESIRED QUALITY. MOREOVER, LARGE QUANTITIES OF INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED WHICH ADD TO THE COST OF PRODUCTION. THIS INVENTION AIMS AT OVERCOMING THE ABOVE DEFECTS AND PROVIDE A PROCESS FOR PREPARING SUBSTRATES WHICH COMPRISES - (I) SELECTING DRY CELLULOSE AND LIGNIN-RICH VEGETATIVE MATTERS IN CHOPPED AND SHREDDED CONDITION; (II) SOAKING THE CHOPPED AND SHREDDED BODIES IN WATER FOR AROUND 24 HOURS; (III) WETTING DRY COWDUNG IN WATER IN A PROPORTION OF AROUND 1 : 1.5-2.5 BY WEIGHT OVER A PERIOD OF AROUND 24 HOURS; (IV) MIXING THE SOAKED, CHOPPED AND SHREDDED BODIES AND COWDUNG TOGETHER FOLLOWED BY THE ADDITION OF THE UNDERNOTED INGREDIENTS :- (a) GRAM (CICER ARIETINUM) -12-20% BY WT., (b) CALCIUM CARBONATE POWDER - 7.5-15% BY WT., AND (c) GYPSUM POWDER - 3-7.5% BY WT. ; (V) THOROUGHLY MIXING THE INGREDIENTS OF STEP (IV) AND PLACING THE MIXTURE IN BAGS OF SYNTHETIC MATERIAL CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 120 DEGREE-125 DEGREE C PLUGGED WITH COTTON; (VI) STERILIZING THE BAGS WITH THEIR CONTENTS IN AN AUTOCLAVE FORAROUND 15-25 MINS AND COOLING THEM DOWN TO AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. THE PRESENT INVENTION ALSO ENVISAGES PRODUCTION OF BUTTON MUSHROOMS BY INOCULATING THE STERLIZED SUBSTRATES WITH SUITABLE SPAWNS,INCUBATING, FOLLOWED BY CASING.

Full Text	The present invention relates to a process for preparing substrates for cultivation of button mushrooms of "both winter and summer varieties. More particularly this invention pertains to the preparation of substrate or culture media for cultivating button mushrooms of winter and. summer varieties, e.g. Agaricus bisporus and Agaricus biterquip, respectively, of strain numbers U3 and S11 for the winter, and NCB6 and NCB for the summer varieties. Mushrooms have a delicious taste, are an excellent source of assimilable and edible proteins, vitamins and minerals. They have even therapeutic values, being low in fats and carbohydrates. Importance of mushroom as a source of nutrition in human diet has gained in importance on account of their ability to convert agro-wastes into valuable source of proteins. Button mushroom is the most popular variety grown world over, enjoys virtually widest acceptability an:: marketability as an item of food amongst all other mushrooms. This variety is very widely cultivated throughout the world and constitutes around 90% of total world production of mushroom. Conventionally button mushroom is cultivated on a substrate or medium called "compost" having ingredients like straw (rice/wheat), chicken litter, chemical fertilizer, cakes selected from neem, cotton seed, ground nut, mustard, sunflower, etc. Usually two different routes are employed in producing button mushroom compost, namely, (i) long and (ii) short routes Van Griensven, L.J.S.D., 1988, The Cultivation of Mushrooms. Darlington [Mushroom Laboratories Ltd., Rustington, Sussex, England. Somycel S.A. Langebis, Prance, Pp. 345; Quimio, T. H., S. T. Chang and D.J. Royse, 1993. "Technical guidelines for mushroom growing in the tropics. International Distributing Co. (Publishing Division), Lucknow, U.P. (India), Pp.155]• The conventional "long method1 consists of wetting of straw, mixing and heaping, turning the heaps 6-7 times at 4-5 days" intervals. The compost becomes ready in about 28 - 30 days" time. The minimum total weight of ingredients should preferably be one ton to produce compost by this method. In case of "short method" for producing compost, the initial procedure is similar to "long method", except that turnings are given more frequently at closer intervals. After 3 turnings the compost is placed in an insulated chamber known as "pasteurisation Tunnel", equipped with inlet(s) for blowing in air and steam. By adjusting air and steam circulation, temperature of the compost is raised to around 60 C and held at this temperature for around 4 hours, when the compost gets "pasteurised". After "pasteurisation" the temperature of the compost is gradually lowered to 50 C, and this temperature is maintained for a period of around 72 hours for "conditioning" of compost, during which beneficial microbes develop in the compost. Thereafter the compost is gradually cooled down to ambient temperature and the compost becomes ready for use. The minimum quantity of ingredients needed for preparing compost by "short method" is in the range of around 8 to 10 tons. In both "long" and "short" methods chemical fertilizers, pesticides and often " growth promoters" are used in the preparp.tion of compost and cultivation cf mushrooms. Increased quantity of individual ingredients, U3o of fertilizers, pesticides and "growth promoters" and moreover the enlarged time needed for preparing and conditioning the compost cause escalation of cost of production of button mushrooms. Another drawback of the prior art processes of preparing compost or medium for cultivation of button mushrooms is lack of process control once the spawn are inoculated, often resulting in c ont amination• The present invention aims at overcoming the foregoing drawbacks of the prior art processes and providing an improved technique for producing button mushrooms of both summer and winter varieties which uses indigenous raw materials including animal excreta like cowdung, is easy to operate exercising greater quality control on the formation of compost and is extremely cost-effective. Furthermore, in the present invention the long-drawn,costly step of "composting" and use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and growth promoters are completdy liminated. In point of fact, the present method does away with chemical fertilizer and/or pesticide even during cultivation stage, and the total quantity of the constituent ingredients for preparation of substrate may be as low as one kilogram. The present process is thus extremely cost effective requiring no large investment or a considerable inventory of raw materials leading to blocked capital. The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved process for preparing substrate for cultivation of button mushrooms of both summer and winter varieties. A further object of this invention is to provide a process which does not use any chemical fertilizer, pesticide and/or growth promoting agents. A still further object is to provide an improved process which is capable of producing the substrate of requisite quality in just 24 hours and adequate for growing both summer and winter varieties of button mushrooms. Another object of this invention is to effectively use vegetative waste materials and animal wastes like cowdung for the preparation of substrates by the process of this invention. The foregoing objects are achieved by the subject invention which relates to a process for preparing substrate for cultivation of both summer and winter varieties (Agaricus biterquip and Agaricus bisporus, respectively) which comprises - i) selecting dry cellulose and lignin-rich vegetative matter in chopped and shredded condition; ii) soaking the chopped and shredded bodies in water for around 24 hours; iii) wetting dry cowdung in water in a proportion of around 1 : 1.5 - 2.5 by weight over a period of around 24 hours; iv) mixing the soaked shredded bodies and cowdung together followed by addition of the undernoted ingredients - (a) gram (Cicer arietinum) powder - 12 - 20% by wt.; (b) calcium carbonate powder - 7.5 - 15% " " (c) gypsum powder - 3 - 7.5% " " v) thoroughly mixing the ingredients of step (iv) and placing the mixture in hags of synthetic material capable of withstanding temperature of at least 120 - 125 C, plugged with cotton, and vi) sterilizing the bags with their contents in an autoclave . for around 20 - 25 minutes and cooling them down to pasient temperature. The substrates aforesaid may be inoculated, if desired, with spawns of button mushrooms U3, and S11, for winter and NCB6 and NCB13, , for summer varieties, respectively, and thereafter incubating the bags at temperatures of around 14 - 17 C for winter button and at around 26 - 30 C for summer button over a period of around 7-15 days, followed by casing, whereby in around 30 days the first flush of button crop makes their appearance. The cellulose and lignin-rich material used in this process is usually rice or wheat straw, preferably the former, chopped and shredded to an optimum size of 1 to 2 cm. The substrate mixture is usually placed in synthetic polymeric bags provided with opening capable of being closed/plugged with cotton or the like material. Polypropylene or polyester sheets of 24-gauge thickness capable of withstanding temperature of at least 120 - 125 C can be used for placing the substrate therein, forming a depth of around 6" or 152 mm, for convenience of sterilization. This is yet another notable feature of this invention which ensures maximum production of button mushrooms. Sterilization of the bags with their contents of substrate is carried out in autoclave for 20 minutes at 15 lbs pressure and at around 120° - 125°C. Inoculation of the sterilized substrate is carried out by using spawns of different strains of winter button mushroom Agaricus bisporous - U3 and s11) and summer button mushrooms (Agaricus bitorquis - NCB6 and NCB13) and colonisation is allowed to take place for around 8 to 12 days followed by casing. Incubation of the inoculated bag3 is carried out at around 23 - 25 C for winter button and at around 28 - 30 C for summer button, and colonisation is allowed to take place for around 8-10 days, followed by opening of the bags and casing. After casing the bags with their contents are maintained at around 14 - 16°G in case of winter button and at around 23 - 25 C for summer button, and the first flush of mushrooms make their appearance in around 30 days, often between 22 and 28 days. This invention will be further elaborated by the following example which is given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation : - EXAMPLE 100 Kg. of dry chopped and"shredded rice straw (ca. 1 to 2 cm length) was soaked in water for 24 hours, after which excess water was drained out. 30 Kg. dry cowdung was soaked in 60 litre water for 24 hours. Soaked straw and cowdung were mixed, followed by addition of the undernoted ingredients in amounts shown - i) gram powder (Gicer arietinum) - 15 Kg., ii) CaCO3 powder - 10 Kg. and iii) gypsum powder - 5 Kg. The total v/eight of the well-mixed, finished substrate was around 400 Kg. 4 Kg. of the mixed substrate was placed in double 16" x 22" or 41.00 x 56.00 cm. polypropylene bags made from 24-gauge sheet and the bags were plugged with cotton. The depth of substrate in each bag was 6" (15.25 cm.). The bags with, their contents were sterilized in autoclave for 20 minutes at 15 lbs pressure, raising the temperature to around 120 - 125 C. Then they were cooled down to ambient temperature and inoculated with 50 gm spawn of different strains of winter button mushroom (A. bisporus - U, and Sn , ) and summer button mushroom (A. bitorquis - NCB6 and NCB13) The inoculated bags were incubated at 23 - 25 C for "winter button and at 28 - 30 C for summer button. When the colonisation was over in 8-10 days, the bags were opened and casing was done. The bags were then maintained at 14 - 16 C in case of winter button and at 23° - 25 C for summer button. The first flush of button crop appeared in 22 - 28 days. The total production in 60 days was 0.7 - 0.8 Kg. per bag. Another aspect of this invention deserves attention. Normally colonisation of conventional compost by button mushroom mycelium takes around 20 - 25 days and the first flush of mushrooms develops after a minimum of 35 - 40 days. On the other hand, using the sterilized substrate of the present invention colonisation of button mycelium takes only 8 - 10 days and the first flush of mushrooms appears in 22 to 28 days, virtually cutting down the production time into half and ensuring enhanced production of button mushrooms. As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described example is not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims,and, therefore, all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims appearing hereafter. I Claim * - 1. A process for preparing substrates for cultivation of "button mushrooms of both winter and summer varieties (Agaricus bisporus and Agaricus biterquip, respectively), which comprises - (i) selecting dry cellulose and lignin-rich vegetative matters in chopped and shredded condition; (ii) soaking the chopped and shredded bodies in water for around 24 hours; (iii) wetting dry cowdung in water in a proportion of around 1 : 1.5 - 2.5 by weight over a period of around 24 hours; (iv) mixing the soaked, chopped and shredded bodies and cowdmig tcgethor followed by the addition of the undernotec indredients : — (a) gram (Cicer arietinum) powder - 12 - 20% by wt., (b) calcium carbonate powder - 7»5 - 15% by wt. and (c) gypsusi powder - 3 - 7.5 by wt. (v) thoroughly mixing the ingredients of step (iv) and placing the mixture in bags of synthetic material capable of withstanding temperature of at least 120° - 125°C plugged with cotton, and (vi) sterilizing the bags with their cortents in an autoclave for around 15 - 25 nins. and.coaling them down to ambient temperature. 2. A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cellulose and lignin-rich vegetative matter is straw, preferably rice straw, chopped and shredded to around 1 to 2 cm. length. 3. A process as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein the mixture forming the substrate or medium for cultivation of mushroom is placed in double polypropylene bags made preferably from 24-gauge sheets with to, opening adapted to be plugged with cotton. 4. A process as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the depth of the substrate layer is optimally maintained at around 6" or 152 mm. 5. A process as claimed in Claims 1 to 4,wherein the bags with their substrate content are sterilized in an autoclave for around 20 mins. at 15 lbs pressure and around 120 - 125 C. 6. A process for preparing substrates for cultivation of button mushrooms of both winter and summer varieties, substantially as hereinbefore described. Conventional long and short methods of producing button mushroom used chemical fertilizers, pesticides, growth promoters, etc., and took a long time to produce products of desired quality. Moreover, large quantities of ingredients are needed which add to the cost of production. This invention aims at overcoming the; above defects and provide a process for preparing substrates which comprises- (i) selecting dry cellulose and lignin-rich vegetative matters in chopped and shredded condition; (ii) soaking the chopped and. shredded bodies in water for around 24 hours; (iii) wetting dry cowdung in water in a proportion of around 1:1.5 - 2.5 by weight over a period of around 24 hours; (iv) mixing the soaked, chopped and shredded bodies and cowdung together followed by the addition of the undernoted ingredients : - (a) gram (Cicer arietinum) powder - 12 -20% by wt., (b) calcium carbonate powder - 7.5 - 15% "by wt. and (c) gypsum powder - 3 - 7.5% by wt.; (v)thoroughly mixing the ingredients of step (iv) and placing the mixture in bags of synthetic material capable of withstanding temperature of at least 120° - 125° C plugged with cotton; (vi) sterilizing the bags with their contents in an autoclave for around 15 - 25 mins and cooling them down to ambient temperature. The present invention also envisages production of button mushrooms by inoculating the sterilized substrates with suitable spawns, incubating, followed by casing.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a process for preparing substrates for cultivation of button mushrooms of "both winter and summer varieties. More particularly this invention pertains to the preparation of substrate or culture media for cultivating button mushrooms of winter and. summer varieties, e.g. Agaricus bisporus and Agaricus biterquip, respectively, of strain numbers U3 and S11 for the winter, and NCB6 and NCB for the summer varieties.
Mushrooms have a delicious taste, are an excellent source of assimilable and edible proteins, vitamins and minerals. They have even therapeutic values, being low in fats and carbohydrates. Importance of mushroom as a source of nutrition in human diet has gained in importance on account of their ability to convert agro-wastes into valuable source of proteins.
Button mushroom is the most popular variety grown world over, enjoys virtually widest acceptability an:: marketability as an item of food amongst all other mushrooms. This variety is very widely cultivated throughout the world and constitutes around 90% of total world production of mushroom.
Conventionally button mushroom is cultivated on a substrate or medium called "compost" having ingredients like straw (rice/wheat), chicken litter, chemical fertilizer, cakes selected from neem, cotton seed, ground nut, mustard, sunflower, etc. Usually two different routes are employed in producing button mushroom compost, namely, (i) long and (ii) short routes Van Griensven, L.J.S.D., 1988, The Cultivation of Mushrooms. Darlington [Mushroom Laboratories Ltd., Rustington, Sussex, England. Somycel S.A. Langebis, Prance, Pp. 345; Quimio, T. H., S. T. Chang
and D.J. Royse, 1993. "Technical guidelines for mushroom growing in the tropics. International Distributing Co. (Publishing Division), Lucknow, U.P. (India), Pp.155]•
The conventional "long method1 consists of wetting of straw, mixing and heaping, turning the heaps 6-7 times at 4-5 days" intervals. The compost becomes ready in about 28 - 30 days" time. The minimum total weight of ingredients should preferably be one ton to produce compost by this method.
In case of "short method" for producing compost, the initial procedure is similar to "long method", except that turnings are given more frequently at closer intervals. After 3 turnings the compost is placed in an insulated chamber known as "pasteurisation Tunnel", equipped with inlet(s) for blowing in air and steam. By adjusting air and steam circulation, temperature of the compost is raised to around 60 C and held at this temperature for around 4 hours, when the compost gets "pasteurised".
After "pasteurisation" the temperature of the compost is gradually lowered to 50 C, and this temperature is maintained for a period of around 72 hours for "conditioning" of compost, during which beneficial microbes develop in the compost. Thereafter the compost is gradually cooled down to ambient temperature and the compost becomes ready for use. The minimum quantity of ingredients needed for preparing compost by "short method" is in the range of around 8 to 10 tons.
In both "long" and "short" methods chemical fertilizers, pesticides and often " growth promoters" are used in the preparp.tion
of compost and cultivation cf mushrooms. Increased quantity of individual ingredients, U3o of fertilizers, pesticides and "growth promoters" and moreover the enlarged time needed for preparing and conditioning the compost cause escalation of cost of production of button mushrooms.
Another drawback of the prior art processes of preparing compost or medium for cultivation of button mushrooms is lack of process control once the spawn are inoculated, often resulting in c ont amination•
The present invention aims at overcoming the foregoing drawbacks of the prior art processes and providing an improved technique for producing button mushrooms of both summer and winter varieties which uses indigenous raw materials including animal excreta like cowdung, is easy to operate exercising greater quality control on the formation of compost and is extremely cost-effective.
Furthermore, in the present invention the long-drawn,costly step of "composting" and use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and growth promoters are completdy liminated. In point of fact, the present method does away with chemical fertilizer and/or pesticide even during cultivation stage, and the total quantity of the constituent ingredients for preparation of substrate may be as low as one kilogram. The present process is thus extremely cost effective requiring no large investment or a considerable inventory of raw materials leading to blocked capital.
The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved process for preparing substrate for cultivation of button mushrooms of
both summer and winter varieties.
A further object of this invention is to provide a process which does not use any chemical fertilizer, pesticide and/or growth promoting agents.
A still further object is to provide an improved process which is capable of producing the substrate of requisite quality in just 24 hours and adequate for growing both summer and winter varieties of button mushrooms.
Another object of this invention is to effectively use vegetative waste materials and animal wastes like cowdung for the preparation of substrates by the process of this invention.
The foregoing objects are achieved by the subject invention which relates to a process for preparing substrate for cultivation of both summer and winter varieties (Agaricus biterquip and Agaricus bisporus, respectively) which comprises -
i) selecting dry cellulose and lignin-rich vegetative matter
in chopped and shredded condition; ii) soaking the chopped and shredded bodies in water for
around 24 hours; iii) wetting dry cowdung in water in a proportion of around
1 : 1.5 - 2.5 by weight over a period of around 24 hours; iv) mixing the soaked shredded bodies and cowdung together
followed by addition of the undernoted ingredients -
(a) gram (Cicer arietinum) powder - 12 - 20% by wt.;
(b) calcium carbonate powder - 7.5 - 15% " "
(c) gypsum powder - 3 - 7.5% " "
v) thoroughly mixing the ingredients of step (iv) and placing the mixture in hags of synthetic material capable of
withstanding temperature of at least 120 - 125 C, plugged with cotton, and
vi) sterilizing the bags with their contents in an autoclave . for around 20 - 25 minutes and cooling them down to pasient temperature.
The substrates aforesaid may be inoculated, if desired, with
spawns of button mushrooms U3, and S11, for winter and NCB6 and NCB13, ,
for summer varieties, respectively, and thereafter incubating the bags at temperatures of around 14 - 17 C for winter button and at around 26 - 30 C for summer button over a period of around 7-15 days, followed by casing, whereby in around 30 days the first flush of button crop makes their appearance.
The cellulose and lignin-rich material used in this process is usually rice or wheat straw, preferably the former, chopped and shredded to an optimum size of 1 to 2 cm.
The substrate mixture is usually placed in synthetic polymeric bags provided with opening capable of being closed/plugged with cotton or the like material. Polypropylene or polyester sheets of 24-gauge thickness capable of withstanding temperature of at least 120 - 125 C can be used for placing the substrate therein, forming a depth of around 6" or 152 mm, for convenience of sterilization. This is yet another notable feature of this invention which ensures maximum production of button mushrooms.
Sterilization of the bags with their contents of substrate is carried out in autoclave for 20 minutes at 15 lbs pressure and at around 120° - 125°C.
Inoculation of the sterilized substrate is carried out by using spawns of different strains of winter button mushroom Agaricus bisporous - U3 and s11) and summer button mushrooms (Agaricus bitorquis - NCB6 and NCB13) and colonisation is allowed to take place for around 8 to 12 days followed by casing.
Incubation of the inoculated bag3 is carried out at around
23 - 25 C for winter button and at around 28 - 30 C for summer button, and colonisation is allowed to take place for around 8-10 days, followed by opening of the bags and casing.
After casing the bags with their contents are maintained at around 14 - 16°G in case of winter button and at around 23 - 25 C for summer button, and the first flush of mushrooms make their appearance in around 30 days, often between 22 and 28 days.
This invention will be further elaborated by the following example which is given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation : -
EXAMPLE
100 Kg. of dry chopped and"shredded rice straw (ca. 1 to 2 cm length) was soaked in water for 24 hours, after which excess water was drained out. 30 Kg. dry cowdung was soaked in 60 litre water for
24 hours. Soaked straw and cowdung were mixed, followed by addition of the undernoted ingredients in amounts shown -
i) gram powder (Gicer arietinum) - 15 Kg., ii) CaCO3 powder - 10 Kg. and
iii) gypsum powder - 5 Kg.
The total v/eight of the well-mixed, finished substrate was around 400 Kg. 4 Kg. of the mixed substrate was placed in double 16" x 22" or 41.00 x 56.00 cm. polypropylene bags made from 24-gauge sheet and the bags were plugged with cotton. The depth of substrate in each bag was 6" (15.25 cm.). The bags with, their contents were sterilized in autoclave for 20 minutes at 15 lbs pressure, raising the temperature to around 120 - 125 C. Then they were cooled down to ambient temperature and inoculated with 50 gm spawn of different strains of winter button mushroom (A. bisporus - U, and Sn , ) and summer button mushroom (A. bitorquis - NCB6 and NCB13)
The inoculated bags were incubated at 23 - 25 C for "winter button and at 28 - 30 C for summer button. When the colonisation was over in 8-10 days, the bags were opened and casing was done. The bags were then maintained at 14 - 16 C in case of winter button and at 23° - 25 C for summer button. The first flush of button crop appeared in 22 - 28 days.
The total production in 60 days was 0.7 - 0.8 Kg. per bag.
Another aspect of this invention deserves attention. Normally colonisation of conventional compost by button mushroom mycelium takes around 20 - 25 days and the first flush of mushrooms develops after a minimum of 35 - 40 days. On the other hand, using the sterilized substrate of the present invention colonisation of button mycelium takes only 8 - 10 days and the first flush of mushrooms appears in 22 to 28 days, virtually cutting down the production time into half and ensuring enhanced production of button mushrooms.
As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described example is not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims,and, therefore, all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by
the appended claims appearing hereafter.
I Claim * -
1. A process for preparing substrates for cultivation of "button mushrooms of both winter and summer varieties (Agaricus bisporus and Agaricus biterquip, respectively), which comprises -
(i) selecting dry cellulose and lignin-rich vegetative
matters in chopped and shredded condition; (ii) soaking the chopped and shredded bodies in water for
around 24 hours; (iii) wetting dry cowdung in water in a proportion of around
1 : 1.5 - 2.5 by weight over a period of around 24 hours; (iv) mixing the soaked, chopped and shredded bodies and cowdmig tcgethor followed by the addition of the undernotec indredients : —
(a) gram (Cicer arietinum) powder - 12 - 20% by wt.,
(b) calcium carbonate powder - 7»5 - 15% by wt. and
(c) gypsusi powder - 3 - 7.5 by wt. (v) thoroughly mixing the ingredients of step (iv) and placing
the mixture in bags of synthetic material capable of withstanding temperature of at least 120° - 125°C plugged with cotton, and
(vi) sterilizing the bags with their cortents in an autoclave for around 15 - 25 nins. and.coaling them down to ambient temperature.
2. A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cellulose and lignin-rich vegetative matter is straw, preferably rice straw, chopped and shredded to around 1 to 2 cm. length.
3. A process as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein the mixture forming the substrate or medium for cultivation of mushroom is placed in double polypropylene bags made preferably from 24-gauge sheets with to, opening adapted to be plugged with cotton.
4. A process as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the depth of the substrate layer is optimally maintained at around 6" or 152 mm.
5. A process as claimed in Claims 1 to 4,wherein the bags with their substrate content are sterilized in an autoclave for around 20 mins. at 15 lbs pressure and around 120 - 125 C.
6. A process for preparing substrates for cultivation of button mushrooms of both winter and summer varieties, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Conventional long and short methods of producing button
mushroom used chemical fertilizers, pesticides, growth promoters, etc., and took a long time to produce products of desired quality. Moreover, large quantities of ingredients are needed which add to the cost of production.
This invention aims at overcoming the; above defects and provide
a process for preparing substrates which comprises-
(i) selecting dry cellulose and lignin-rich vegetative matters
in chopped and shredded condition;
(ii) soaking the chopped and. shredded bodies in water for around 24 hours;
(iii) wetting dry cowdung in water in a proportion of around 1:1.5 - 2.5
by weight over a period of around 24 hours;
(iv) mixing the soaked, chopped and shredded bodies and cowdung together followed by the addition of the undernoted ingredients : -
(a) gram (Cicer arietinum) powder - 12 -20% by wt.,
(b) calcium carbonate powder - 7.5 - 15% "by wt. and
(c) gypsum powder - 3 - 7.5% by wt.;
(v)thoroughly mixing the ingredients of step (iv) and placing the
mixture in bags of synthetic material capable of withstanding temperature of at least 120° - 125° C plugged with cotton;

(vi) sterilizing the bags with their contents in an
autoclave for around 15 - 25 mins and cooling them
down to ambient temperature.
The present invention also envisages production of button mushrooms by inoculating the sterilized substrates with suitable spawns, incubating, followed by casing.

Documents:

00686-kol-2004-abstract.pdf

00686-kol-2004-claims.pdf

00686-kol-2004-correspondence.pdf

00686-kol-2004-description (complete).pdf

00686-kol-2004-form 1.pdf

00686-kol-2004-form 18.pdf

00686-kol-2004-form 2.pdf

00686-kol-2004-form 3.pdf

00686-kol-2004-letter patent.pdf

00686-kol-2004-pa.pdf

00686-kol-2004-reply f.e.r.pdf

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Patent Number

211708

Indian Patent Application Number

686/KOL/2004

PG Journal Number

45/2007

Publication Date

09-Nov-2007

Grant Date

07-Nov-2007

Date of Filing

03-Nov-2004

Name of Patentee

PROF. DILIP KUMAR CHAKRAVARTY

Applicant Address

D 2/4 LABONY, SALT LAKE, KOLKATA-700 064, WEST BENGAL, INDIA, AN INDIAN NATIONAL.

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	PROF. DILIP KUMAR CHAKRAVARTY.	D 2/4 LABONY, SALT LAKE, KOLKATA-700 064, WEST BENGAL, INDIA, AN INDIAN NATIONAL.

PCT International Classification Number

A21/

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1			NA