Prepare compost for mushrooms from wheat, paddy straw: Experts

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, January 8

A one-day training programme on “Paddy straw-based mushroom cultivation” was organised by Punjab Agricultural and Management Training Institute (PAMETI) in association with Department of Microbiology, PAU, under the PAMETI-UNEP project. The training programme was attended by 11 progressive farmers from selected villages under the project.

Dr HS Dhaliwal, Director, PAMETI, said, “Earlier, only wheat straw was used to prepare the compost for mushroom cultivation but as the wheat straw was costly, cost of production of mushroom became higher. Now, the compost can be prepared by using 50 per cent wheat straw and 50 per cent paddy straw and this combination does not make any difference in the mushroom yield.”

Dr HS Sodhi from Department of Microbiology, PAU, informed the participants about mushroom production in the state and apprised them about its packaging and market along with its economics of cultivation. He also explained the preparation of paddy straw-based compost using the short method along with spawning and casing, among others. He explained the structure of well-designed mushroom farms to ensure optimum production. 

Dr Shivani Sharma and Dr Suman Kumari told about spawn preparation and explained the technicalities involved in the cultivation of different species of mushrooms, including oyster, milky and shiitake. These technicalities were practically explained to farmers by taking them to mushroom farms and hands on training for compost preparation was also imparted to all the trainees. 

Lakhwinder Singh Brar, Deputy Director (marketing), PAMETI, motivated the trainees to take up mushroom farming as a ready source of income and as a means of crop diversification as well as an option for managing paddy straw.