MUSHROOM CULTIVATION MANUAL

INTRODUCTION

mushroom do not contain chlorophyll (the ability to use energy from the sun directly)that givesig a distinct nature from plantw , animals and bacteria .By these ,we can say mushroom is a fungus .These fungi depend on living organism for food ; absorbing nutrients from the organic material in which they live .the leaving body of a fungus is mycelium made up of tiny web a "button" which beggings to grow out of the substrate bag thus creating fruits calles mushrooms

OYSTER MUSHROOM

Looking back

Oyster mushroom[plerotus sp] belonging to the class of Basidomycetetes and family Aricaceae . oyster mushroom grows in temperat and tropical climate in the forest and dead and decaying wooden logs or sometimes on dry trunks of deciduous or or conferrous wood. it may also grow on decaying organic matter. the fruting body of this mushroom are distintively shell oy or patula shape with deffrent shades of whith, cream, grey, yellow, pink, or light brown collors depending on the specie.

Looking furward

since 2008 , mushroom cultivation in cameroon have experience tremendous increase in prouction especialy Oyster mushroom.this i due to its ability to do well in tropical climate and also due to easily available substrate materials for its cultivation. Oyster mushroom is grown indoors at morderate temperature ranging from from 18 to30 degree centigrat and humidity 55- 70 percent . mushroom cultivation is done all year roung [3 to 4 cycles a year] by providing the extra humidity require for its growth during dry season period [watering] . the substrate material used for muschroom produdction are agricultural wast. it takes as litle as 28 to 30 days from planting to havesting of oyster mushroom .harvesting is done every after 2 days or daily depending on the farm size for 3 months. the used subtstrate can be recycled as organic fertilizers or used as fuel in the drying unite.

SOME IMPORTANCE FACT ABOUT OYSTER MUSHROOM

mushroom production is an indoor activity and hence doesnot require alot of land and space to set up a farm. it has low production cost and eas of cultivation. it is non labour intensive it only take two to four hoursa day to tend to the mushroom after planting . mushroom farms are sustainable and afordable form of farming because of their highly produtivity per unite area . mushroom has been identified as an excellent food source to alivate malnutrition in developing countries and help as an as an asurance on food security. mushroom production is enviromental friendly becausee it helps to recycle agriculyal wast like corn cops, rice and beans straw. it is highly lucrative venture for livelihood sustence. the development of mycology and its innovative altenitive uses has helped develop eco-friendly product . mushroom is presently being tranformed into mushrom juice,pap, spaghetti, milk, cookies. the used substrate is recycled into organic fertilizer.

NUTRITIONAL AND MEDICINAAL VALUES OF MUSHROOM

Oyster mushroom like many other varieties is bein consumed consumed in cameroon because of it nutritional and medicinal values. reseachers have proven oyster mushroom to be rich in minerals, vitamens but verry low on fats and sugar bein a nutrittious vergitarian delicacy, they can complement almost every meal,addingflavor and appetite. they provide atributes commonly found in meat,beans and grains .Mushrooms contain 20 to 35 of protein [dry weight] and contain all the nine assential amino acids with their flavor, texture , nutritional value.

Mushrooms naturaly contain antioxiidant and several nutriencts including vitamin b . riboflavin, nicin and selenium. research haas proven the role of mushroom incancers prevention, bone health and weight management.these nutritional values have nearly equated mushrooms as super foods.
HOW TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN GOOD AND BAD MUSHROOM
A good mushroom attracts flies and you will certainly find maggots in it when it is rotten
While
A bad mushroom won't attracts flies and willl decay without maggots in them.

SUBSTRATE MATERIALS FOR GROWING OYSTER MUSHROOM

They are several substrate materials use in Oyster mushroom cultivation in different parts of the world.These includes ;
-Sawdust substrate
-Corn cobs substrate
-Rice straw substrate
-Cofee pop substrate
-PLantain leafs
-Palm oil chaffs and Beans peelings .

now i will fucus mainly on Sawdust substrate simply because it is the most commonly use method especially in the North West Region of Cameroon due to easily available materials[sawdust,rice bran or wheat bran or corn flour ,rice husk or wood shavings].

i will end here for today as i will be telling you gus in my next edition on :-

-The materials and equipemen use for mushroom cultivation
-How to cultivate mushroom using sawdust substrate (pics and video demonstration)
-How to cultivate mushroom using corn cobs substrate(pics and videos)
-How to cultivate mushroom using rice straw subtrate.(pics and video demonstration

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