Eco-friendly and Cost-Effective Methods of Pasteurization of Substrates for Oyster Mushroom Cultivation

The present study was conducted during October, 2020–March, 2021 at Mushroom Technology Laboratory, Department of Plant Pathology, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, India to find out the effects of solar heat and hot-water on pasteurization of substrates. A significant maximum temperature of 59.9°C was recorded in wheat substrate of 2.0' heap height covered with black polythene sheet for 6 h. A maximum temperature of 48.0°C was recorded in solar heat treatment of substrates for 6 h. The main aim of pasteurization is to reduce harmful microflora on substrates. The least bacterial colonies at 6.7×10⁹ cfu g^-1 substrate were recorded in wheat substrate of 2.0' heap height covered with black polythene sheet for 6 h and the highest at 9.4×10⁹ cfu g^-1 in paddy straw of 1.0' heap height uncovered for 2 h. The minimum fungal colonies at 4.7×10⁴ cfu g^-1 were recorded in wheat substrate of 2.0' heap height covered with black polythene sheet for 6 h followed by 4.9×10⁴ cfu g^-1 in paddy straw. A maximum number of fungal colonies at 6.9×10⁴ cfu g^-1 were seen in wheat straw of 1.0' heap height uncovered for 2 h. In hot-water treatment, the minimum bacterial colonies at 3.7×10⁹ cfu g^-1 substrate and fungal colonies at 1.9×10⁴ cfu g^-1 substrate were observed in wheat substrate treated at 70°C for 20 m followed by bacterial colonies at 4.3×10⁹ and fungal colonies at 2.1×10⁴ cfu g^-1 in hot-water treated paddy substrate at 70°C for 20 m.