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Cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) Fr. by utilising Lantana camara and waste paper
Agricultural Wastes 11 (1984) 99-103
Cultivation of P l e u r o t u s ostreatus (Jacq.) Fr. by Utilising Lantana c a m a r a and Waste Paper N. S. Bisht* & N. S. K. H a r s h Department of Botany, D.S.B. College, Kumaun University, Naini Tal, India
ABSTRACT
A new economical method & described for the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) Ft. (a wood-decaying mushroom) on a mixture of Lantana camara L. and wastepaper. Some good results, at least suitable in those places where Lantana spp. occupy large areas as an unwanted plant were obtained.
INTRODUCTION There is an increasing awareness that waste products, especially of agriculture and forestry, must be utilised profitably. The exploitation of mushroom growing on waste materials would help in alleviating the food crisis. By suitable treatment with fungi, these wastes can be transformed into biomass. For both mycelial growth and fruiting, lignin-cellulose materials (such as corn cobs, cereal straw, paper, wood-shavings, sawdust, nutshell, and vegetable and food-industry wastes, etc.) have sufficient nutritive value. Since the Pleurotus spp. are primary agents of decomposition, i.e. they have the ability to break down cellulose- and lignin-containing materials without chemical or biological preparation, several workers have tried to cultivate them on the above-mentioned materials (Block el al., 1958, 1959; Jandiak & Kapoor, 1974; Zadrazil, 1974). Pleurotus spp. are characterised by the rapidity of growth of their mycelia which facilitates speedy penetration of the substratum and * Present address: Construction Division, U.P. Jal Nigam, Almora (U.P. Hills), India. 99 Agricultural Wastes 0141-4607/84/$03.00 © Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England, 1984. Printed in Great Britain
100
N. S. Bisht, N. S. K. Harsh
simplifies cultivation as a whole. They are either cultivated on logs (Falck, 1917, 1919) or on a mixture of sawdust and rice-polishings (Block et al., 1958, 1959; Toth, 1970). The present method is an attempt to replace the latter substrate by L a n t a n a carnara with some good effects at least in those areas where it has become a problem to eradicate this plant. Lantana L. is a genus of the family Verbenaceae (dicotyledons). The species vary from herbs to undershrubs or shrubs and is distributed mostly in tropical and subtropical America. Several species and varieties of the genus have been reported from India. The most common and abundant are L. camara L., L. crenulata Otto. & Diet., L. trifolia L. and L. indica Roxb. Of these, L. carnara occupies the largest area in the Kumaun region and this species is gradually increasing its abundance. It grows under varying conditions of climate and soil and thrives both in moist areas of high rainfall (exceeding 200 in) and in comparatively dry localities (30 in rainfall per annum). It grows in rich as well as in poor soil, in low-lying areas and in the hills, where this species has extended up to an altitude of 1950 m. Due to its prolific growth and wide adaptability it has overrun large areas in India and has developed into a serious nuisance. Infested areas include cultivable as well as waste lands, forest areas, grazing and pasture lands, and some plantations. Lantana is also a source of fire hazards in deciduous forests. Because of its ability to burn even when green, it causes serious destruction of forest crops. In Indonesia it has reduced the basal area in teak plantation by 30~. Complete eradication of Lantana over large areas is difficult as well as costly, and the various methods tried involve mechanical, cultural, chemical and biological treatments. The plant contains appreciable amounts of sugar, tannin, resin (a crystalline glucoside, C27H4404), and several enzymes, such as catalase, amylase, invertase, lipase, tannase and glucosidase, have been found. The important inorganic elements are: N, 0.88 ~ ; P(P2Os), 0.15 ~o; K(K20), 0.90~; Ca(CaO), 0.61 ~o; Mn, 0.3-0-4~o; and ash (rich in minerals), 10.29 ~o. An idea of the chemical composition of the plant has been given by Pillai et al. (1930) and Nigam et al. (1957).
METHODS AND RESULTS L. camara plants were cut from the base and then chopped, using a knife
or a mechanically/electrically operated chop-cutter, into pieces 5-10 cm long. These were soaked in water for 4 days or, better still, boiled with
Cultivation of
P. ostreatus on L. camara and waste paper
101
water for 2 h and the mixture kept for two days. This made the pieces soft and they also absorbed a sufficient a m o u n t of water to support the growth of P. o s t r e a t u s . In addition it also removed some toxic materials from the plant which may otherwise have retarded the growth of the mycelia. The waste paper was torn into small pieces and soaked in water for 72 h to wash away inks, dyes and dust, and to make it loose, It was then mixed with chopped L . c a m a r a (waste paper one third and L . c a m a r a two thirds by weight) to provide both moisture and additional cellulose (Harsh et al.,
Fig. 1. P. ostreatus. (a) Three-week mycelial growth on a mixture of L. camara and waste paper ( x ~). (b) Fruiting in a tray ( x ~).
102
N. S. Bisht, N. S. K. Harsh
1981). The material was transferred into w o o d e n trays (50 x 30 x 15 cm) previously cleaned and lined with a thin polythene sheet (100-125 gauge). After spawning, the trays were closed with the polythene and sealed using adhesive tape. The material was pressed gently and the trays were kept in an incubation room (23-25 °C). It took a b o u t 3~ , weeks for mycelial development. The trays were then opened (by cutting off the polythene cover) and transferred to a cropping r o o m (14-20 °C). Pin heads started to appear after 10-15 days of exposure and became of picking size in 4-5 days. The trays were watered as and when necessary with fine sprays, taking care that the substrate within the trays did not become too wet and start rotting. It was found to be more satisfactory to remove the polythene sheet after mycelial development otherwise most of the water accumulated at the b o t t o m of the trays; the water could also be removed by making several holes in the polythene sheet. The pinhead's appearance differed from those developed on a mixture of sawdust and rice-polishings or waste paper and tea leaves (Harsh e t a l . , 1981). They usually appeared solitary or in a loose bunch of 4-5 fruit bodies and developed more frequently from the w o o d e n pieces in comparison with the compact mycelial mass on the waste paper (Fig. 1). The fruit bodies were thinner TABLE 1
Economics of the Cultivation of P. ostreatus on a Mixture of L. camara and Waste Paper Cost (Rs) a
Chopping cost of 100 kg L. camara Boiling cost Waste paper (35 kg) Polythene sheet (100m) Miscellaneous (maintenance, fungicide, etc.) Depreciation cost (Rs 1.50/tray)
100 80 70 100 150 100
Total
600
Total production 100 kg (Rs 15/kg) Net profit
1 500 900
a The cost is shown in rupees (Rs 100 is equal to £6.49; US$10-02; DM 24.27 according to the present exchange rates) and the cost of the building has not been included.
Cultivation of P. ostreatus on L. camara and waste paper
103
than those developing in nature or on a mixture of sawdust and rice-polishings, but it was interesting to note that the flavour was more prominent in the former thus making it superior. The trays continued to crop for a 4 m o n t h period (approximately) and the average cropping was 1-5 kg (fresh weight) from a mixture weighing 2 kg per tray. A brief idea of the economics of the cultivation is given in Table 1.
REFERENCES Block, S. S., Tsao, G. & Han, L. (1958). Production of mushroom from sawdust. J. Agric. Food Chem., 6, 929-37. Block, S. S., Tsao, G. & Hart, L. (1959). Experiments on the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus. Mushroom Science, 4, 309-25. Falck, R. (1917). Uber die Waldkultur des Austernpilzes (Agaricus ostreatus) auf Laubholzstubben. Zeits. fur Forst und Jagdwesen, 49, 159-65. Falck, R. (1919). Uber die Waldkultur des Austernpilzes (Agaricus ostreatus) Eine anwiesung zur Pilzkultur auf frischen Laubholzstubben. Zeits. fur Pilzkunde, 3, 102-6. Harsh, N. S. K., Bisht, N. S. & Upreti, J. C. (1981). Utilization of waste paper and tea leaves to cultivate Pleurotus ostreatus. International Biodeterioration Bulletin, 17, 77-8. Jandiak, C. L. & Kapoor, C. L. (1974). Studies on cultivation ofPleurotus sajorcaju. Mushroom Science, 9, 667-72. Nigam, S. K., Sharma, V. N. & Kaul, K. N. (1957). New compounds from Lantana camara. Res. Indus. New Delhi, 2, 194. Pillai, T. R. N., De, P. K., Ramasivan, C. V,, Rao, G., Rafay, S. & Sathe, T. R. (1930). Utilization of waste vegetation. Part I. Preliminary study of Lantana camara L. Agrie. J. lndia. 20, 143-9. Toth, E. (1970). Sterile method for production of Pleurotus ostreatus. Gradinarstwo, 6, 42-4. Zadrazil, F. (1974). The ecology and industrial production of Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus florida, Pleurotus cornucopiae and Pleurotus erydgii. Mushroom Science, 9, 621-52.
Cultivation of P l e u r o t u s ostreatus (Jacq.) Fr. by Utilising Lantana c a m a r a and Waste Paper N. S. Bisht* & N. S. K. H a r s h Department of Botany, D.S.B. College, Kumaun University, Naini Tal, India
ABSTRACT
A new economical method & described for the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) Ft. (a wood-decaying mushroom) on a mixture of Lantana camara L. and wastepaper. Some good results, at least suitable in those places where Lantana spp. occupy large areas as an unwanted plant were obtained.
INTRODUCTION There is an increasing awareness that waste products, especially of agriculture and forestry, must be utilised profitably. The exploitation of mushroom growing on waste materials would help in alleviating the food crisis. By suitable treatment with fungi, these wastes can be transformed into biomass. For both mycelial growth and fruiting, lignin-cellulose materials (such as corn cobs, cereal straw, paper, wood-shavings, sawdust, nutshell, and vegetable and food-industry wastes, etc.) have sufficient nutritive value. Since the Pleurotus spp. are primary agents of decomposition, i.e. they have the ability to break down cellulose- and lignin-containing materials without chemical or biological preparation, several workers have tried to cultivate them on the above-mentioned materials (Block el al., 1958, 1959; Jandiak & Kapoor, 1974; Zadrazil, 1974). Pleurotus spp. are characterised by the rapidity of growth of their mycelia which facilitates speedy penetration of the substratum and * Present address: Construction Division, U.P. Jal Nigam, Almora (U.P. Hills), India. 99 Agricultural Wastes 0141-4607/84/$03.00 © Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England, 1984. Printed in Great Britain
100
N. S. Bisht, N. S. K. Harsh
simplifies cultivation as a whole. They are either cultivated on logs (Falck, 1917, 1919) or on a mixture of sawdust and rice-polishings (Block et al., 1958, 1959; Toth, 1970). The present method is an attempt to replace the latter substrate by L a n t a n a carnara with some good effects at least in those areas where it has become a problem to eradicate this plant. Lantana L. is a genus of the family Verbenaceae (dicotyledons). The species vary from herbs to undershrubs or shrubs and is distributed mostly in tropical and subtropical America. Several species and varieties of the genus have been reported from India. The most common and abundant are L. camara L., L. crenulata Otto. & Diet., L. trifolia L. and L. indica Roxb. Of these, L. carnara occupies the largest area in the Kumaun region and this species is gradually increasing its abundance. It grows under varying conditions of climate and soil and thrives both in moist areas of high rainfall (exceeding 200 in) and in comparatively dry localities (30 in rainfall per annum). It grows in rich as well as in poor soil, in low-lying areas and in the hills, where this species has extended up to an altitude of 1950 m. Due to its prolific growth and wide adaptability it has overrun large areas in India and has developed into a serious nuisance. Infested areas include cultivable as well as waste lands, forest areas, grazing and pasture lands, and some plantations. Lantana is also a source of fire hazards in deciduous forests. Because of its ability to burn even when green, it causes serious destruction of forest crops. In Indonesia it has reduced the basal area in teak plantation by 30~. Complete eradication of Lantana over large areas is difficult as well as costly, and the various methods tried involve mechanical, cultural, chemical and biological treatments. The plant contains appreciable amounts of sugar, tannin, resin (a crystalline glucoside, C27H4404), and several enzymes, such as catalase, amylase, invertase, lipase, tannase and glucosidase, have been found. The important inorganic elements are: N, 0.88 ~ ; P(P2Os), 0.15 ~o; K(K20), 0.90~; Ca(CaO), 0.61 ~o; Mn, 0.3-0-4~o; and ash (rich in minerals), 10.29 ~o. An idea of the chemical composition of the plant has been given by Pillai et al. (1930) and Nigam et al. (1957).
METHODS AND RESULTS L. camara plants were cut from the base and then chopped, using a knife
or a mechanically/electrically operated chop-cutter, into pieces 5-10 cm long. These were soaked in water for 4 days or, better still, boiled with
Cultivation of
P. ostreatus on L. camara and waste paper
101
water for 2 h and the mixture kept for two days. This made the pieces soft and they also absorbed a sufficient a m o u n t of water to support the growth of P. o s t r e a t u s . In addition it also removed some toxic materials from the plant which may otherwise have retarded the growth of the mycelia. The waste paper was torn into small pieces and soaked in water for 72 h to wash away inks, dyes and dust, and to make it loose, It was then mixed with chopped L . c a m a r a (waste paper one third and L . c a m a r a two thirds by weight) to provide both moisture and additional cellulose (Harsh et al.,
Fig. 1. P. ostreatus. (a) Three-week mycelial growth on a mixture of L. camara and waste paper ( x ~). (b) Fruiting in a tray ( x ~).
102
N. S. Bisht, N. S. K. Harsh
1981). The material was transferred into w o o d e n trays (50 x 30 x 15 cm) previously cleaned and lined with a thin polythene sheet (100-125 gauge). After spawning, the trays were closed with the polythene and sealed using adhesive tape. The material was pressed gently and the trays were kept in an incubation room (23-25 °C). It took a b o u t 3~ , weeks for mycelial development. The trays were then opened (by cutting off the polythene cover) and transferred to a cropping r o o m (14-20 °C). Pin heads started to appear after 10-15 days of exposure and became of picking size in 4-5 days. The trays were watered as and when necessary with fine sprays, taking care that the substrate within the trays did not become too wet and start rotting. It was found to be more satisfactory to remove the polythene sheet after mycelial development otherwise most of the water accumulated at the b o t t o m of the trays; the water could also be removed by making several holes in the polythene sheet. The pinhead's appearance differed from those developed on a mixture of sawdust and rice-polishings or waste paper and tea leaves (Harsh e t a l . , 1981). They usually appeared solitary or in a loose bunch of 4-5 fruit bodies and developed more frequently from the w o o d e n pieces in comparison with the compact mycelial mass on the waste paper (Fig. 1). The fruit bodies were thinner TABLE 1
Economics of the Cultivation of P. ostreatus on a Mixture of L. camara and Waste Paper Cost (Rs) a
Chopping cost of 100 kg L. camara Boiling cost Waste paper (35 kg) Polythene sheet (100m) Miscellaneous (maintenance, fungicide, etc.) Depreciation cost (Rs 1.50/tray)
100 80 70 100 150 100
Total
600
Total production 100 kg (Rs 15/kg) Net profit
1 500 900
a The cost is shown in rupees (Rs 100 is equal to £6.49; US$10-02; DM 24.27 according to the present exchange rates) and the cost of the building has not been included.
Cultivation of P. ostreatus on L. camara and waste paper
103
than those developing in nature or on a mixture of sawdust and rice-polishings, but it was interesting to note that the flavour was more prominent in the former thus making it superior. The trays continued to crop for a 4 m o n t h period (approximately) and the average cropping was 1-5 kg (fresh weight) from a mixture weighing 2 kg per tray. A brief idea of the economics of the cultivation is given in Table 1.
REFERENCES Block, S. S., Tsao, G. & Han, L. (1958). Production of mushroom from sawdust. J. Agric. Food Chem., 6, 929-37. Block, S. S., Tsao, G. & Hart, L. (1959). Experiments on the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus. Mushroom Science, 4, 309-25. Falck, R. (1917). Uber die Waldkultur des Austernpilzes (Agaricus ostreatus) auf Laubholzstubben. Zeits. fur Forst und Jagdwesen, 49, 159-65. Falck, R. (1919). Uber die Waldkultur des Austernpilzes (Agaricus ostreatus) Eine anwiesung zur Pilzkultur auf frischen Laubholzstubben. Zeits. fur Pilzkunde, 3, 102-6. Harsh, N. S. K., Bisht, N. S. & Upreti, J. C. (1981). Utilization of waste paper and tea leaves to cultivate Pleurotus ostreatus. International Biodeterioration Bulletin, 17, 77-8. Jandiak, C. L. & Kapoor, C. L. (1974). Studies on cultivation ofPleurotus sajorcaju. Mushroom Science, 9, 667-72. Nigam, S. K., Sharma, V. N. & Kaul, K. N. (1957). New compounds from Lantana camara. Res. Indus. New Delhi, 2, 194. Pillai, T. R. N., De, P. K., Ramasivan, C. V,, Rao, G., Rafay, S. & Sathe, T. R. (1930). Utilization of waste vegetation. Part I. Preliminary study of Lantana camara L. Agrie. J. lndia. 20, 143-9. Toth, E. (1970). Sterile method for production of Pleurotus ostreatus. Gradinarstwo, 6, 42-4. Zadrazil, F. (1974). The ecology and industrial production of Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus florida, Pleurotus cornucopiae and Pleurotus erydgii. Mushroom Science, 9, 621-52.