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Production Flush of Agaricus Blazei on Brazilian Casing Layers

Summary

This research investigated different growing methods for the medicinal mushroom Agaricus blazei, focusing on various soil cover materials (casing layers) used in cultivation. The study found that alternative materials like lime schist performed better than traditional soil mixtures used in Brazil, potentially leading to more efficient mushroom production. Impacts on everyday life: • More efficient mushroom cultivation techniques could lead to lower production costs and more affordable mushrooms • Environmental benefits from finding alternatives to peat, which helps preserve natural peat bogs • Improved growing methods could increase availability of this medicinal mushroom for health applications • Better understanding of cultivation timing helps farmers optimize their production schedules • Knowledge gained could be applied to improve cultivation of other edible mushrooms

Background

Agaricus blazei is a basidiomycete mushroom from Brazil with immunomodulating and antitumor activities that is also used as a culinary mushroom. The casing layer is crucial for mushroom cultivation, traditionally consisting of peat and lime. However, environmental concerns about peat extraction have led to a search for alternative materials, particularly in regions without large peat sources.

Objective

This study aimed to verify the biological efficiency and production flushes of different Agaricus blazei strains on various casing layers during 90 days of cultivation. The research focused on comparing four different casing layers and their effects on mushroom production.

Results

The biological efficiency and production flushes over 90 days were influenced by both strains and casing layers. The ABL26 strain with LSC produced the best biological efficiency at 60.4%. VCS, though commonly used in Brazil, performed worse than other casing layers for all strains. Approximately 50% of mushroom production occurred in the first month, 30% in the second month, and 20% in the third month. The strain type, rather than casing layer, determined variations in average mushroom mass.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that both mushroom strains and casing layer types significantly affect biological efficiency and production flushes. While VCS is the most commonly used casing layer in Brazil, it proved inferior to alternatives throughout the cultivation period. Water management requirements varied depending on both casing layer type and strain, with production flushes showing better response to water reposition, particularly with ABL26 strain, and improved porosity with LSC and SCP casing layers.
  • Published in:Brazilian Journal of Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: 10.1590/S1517-838220110002000026
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