Culture Viability, Commercial Scale Cultivation and Shelf Life Studies on the Silver-silk Straw Mushroom, <i>Volvariella bombycina</i>

Abstract

The study covers viability of mycelial cultures and mycolytic enzymes activity in six strains of three different species of straw mushroom on storage at 4±2 °C, yield optimization and nutritional analysis of silver-silk straw mushroom, <i>Volvariella bombycina</i> vis-à-vis Chinese straw mushroom <i>V. volvacea</i> and shelf life of <i>V. bombycina</i> fruit bodies on storage at 4±2 °C. <i>V. bombycina</i> exhibited highest viability of mycelial cultures (76 days), followed by a strain of <i>Volvopluteus</i> <i>earlei</i> (50 days), which coincided with highest activity of protease and lowest of N-acetyl-ß-glucosaminidase. Highest sporocarp yield was obtained from beds of 12 and 18 kg capacity prepared out of composted substrate of paddy straw + cotton ginning mill waste (1:1, w/w). <i>V. bombycina</i> exhibited acceptable keeping quality up to 7 days of storage at 4±2 °C with slight changes in weight (-5.80%) and nutritional attributes (± 4.17 to 6.95 %), which makes it a good choice for industrial scale cultivation.