Ampalaya Production

TECHNOGUIDE FOR BITTERGOURD PRODUCTION

Bittergourd, which is known in the Philippines as ampalaya, is an annual plant that is native in this country. It is botanically known as Momordica charantia L. It can be grown anytime of the year for its edible shoots and fruits and offers a good supply of vitamins and minerals. The fruit contains the hypo-glycemic principle charantin, which is used to treat diabetes.

Bittergourd is profitable when grown in small or large scale either in lowland or upland rice-based areas.

This technoguide module is designed to guide small scale producers specifically those who want to engage in multiple cropping schemes.

Recommended Varieties:

The recommended varieties of bittergourd are: the Sta Rita Strain with fruit length of 20-35 cm, intended for ginisa or sautéed recipes and can yield an average of 30 t/ha; the Jade Star and the Native ( Fig. 1) with fruit length of 5 to 10 cm used for cooking pinakbet. These varieties can be harvested at 50 DAE with an average yield of 30 t/ha. They are moderately resistant to insect pests and diseases of cucurbits but are susceptible to fruit fly.

Site Selection/Soil Type:

Bittergourd grows in well-drained soil. However, the best soil texture for the crop is either sandy loam or clay loam with pH ranging from of 6.0-6.7.

Growing Season:

Although the crop can be grown throughout the year, the most profitable growing seasons are from October to December and from May to July because most of the areas are being planted to rice during these periods. Only the “tumana” or the fertile hilly-upland areas are being planted with bittergourd, hence, production is limited.

Plant the crop once every two years in the same area. Since bittergourd is a heavy consumer of nutrients, the soil is depleted on the second year and thus needs soil amendments.

Land Preparation and Trellising:
Plow and harrow the field twice. After the second harrowing, construct trellis at a distance of 2.5 x 2.5 m and with a height of 1.5-2 m. Fix one layer of GI wire no. 14 at the top of each row and column. Fix two layers of GI wire # 18 at a distance of 3 ft below the upper layer of the row only. Fix a layer of plastic string on top of the trellis foundation at 20 cm apart, then fix abaca string or dried banana bracts string vertically from the upper wire layer to the bottom wire layer for the vines to crawl on.

System of Planting:

Break the seed coat lightly and soak the seeds in water for 24 hours, then wash. Incubate for 24-48 hours until the radicles appear. On the first day, plant the seeds with uniform germination to have a uniform stand of plant in the field. Plant the second flush on the second day then throw away all the slow germinating seeds since these are suspected to be infected with disease such as barako or other viral diseases.

Incorporate organic fertilizer at the rate of 50 g per hill before planting. Plant one germinated seed per hill at a depth of 2 cm and spaced at 50 cm along the row.

Weeding and Cultivation:

Uproot the weeds in between hills at 14 days after emergence (DAE) only. After 14 DAE, do not uproot the weeds or cultivate in between the rows as this will harm the roots and consequently results in slow growth of the plants.

After the first weeding, hill-up once only and cut the weeds close to the ground every 14 days or as needed. The remaining weeds will serve as alternate hosts of cutworms, army worms, and other insect pests.

Fertilizer Application:

Bittergourd responds well to soils that are rich in organic matter and inorganic nutrients. For soils without analysis, the recommendation in Table 1 must be followed. The organic fertilizer must be broadcasted before plowing or at final harrowing.

Bittergourd is a heavy consumer of fertilizer. If the recommended frequency of application at 28 DAE will show yellowish leaves after 2 weeks, adjust the application to 2-3 times/month or every 14 days for 3 months.

Irrigation:
Bittergourd is a flood tolerant crop. It can withstand water logging for 48-72 hours. In dry season, irrigate the field by flooding at 14 DAE and repeat irrigation every seven days throughout the growing season in October to December and as the need arises in May to July planting.

Insect Pests and Diseases Control:

The advent of pests and diseases of bittergourd depends on the season, weather condition, and the cropping pattern in the surrounding areas. During wet season, aphids, fruit fly, leaf footed bug, and leaf folder are destructive. During the dry season, additional pests such as leafhoppers, thrips, white flies, and leaf worms are equally destructive.
Damping-off, bacterial blight, and Barako are common diseases of bittergourd during wet and dry seasons. If Barako (which is characterized by long and hardy vines, with small leaves near the shoots) is observed, uproot the whole plant to avoid the outbreak of the disease. Barako is regarded as nutritional deficiency by some soil scientists since it responds to fertilizer application.

However, pathologists claim that Barako is caused by a mycoplasma-like organism because of the abnormal development of leaves, shoots, and tendrils.

Harvesting:

Harvest the first batch of immature fruits at deep green stage, approximately 25-30 cm long for Sta Rita variety. Repeat harvesting every 3-5 days preferably in the morning to maintain the freshness of the fruits. For the varieties with small fruits, harvest the immature fruits when the rinds are already prominent. Do not harvest the shoots because it will lessen the fruit-bearing performance of the plant resulting in reduced fruit yield.

Pack the harvested fruits in polyethylene bags of 10 kg capacity immediately after harvesting to avoid withered fruits.

If the crop is intended for leaf/shoot production, start harvesting 1 foot long shoot when the vines reached 1 m long. Harvest succeeding shoots when the lateral vines reach 2 feet long, leaving 1 foot long vine for the development of new shoots. Tie the shoots with rubber band in 10 or 20 pcs per bundle depending on the retailer’s preference. Pack in polyethylene plastic to prevent the leaves from wilting.

Tomato Production

TECHNOGUIDE FOR TOMATO PRODUCTION

Tomato, scientifically known as Lycopersicum esculentum Miller is an important and popular vegetable grown in many parts of the world. The fruit is used as an ingredient in many food preparations and is regarded as one of the most profitable crops for off-season production, preferably from May to September.

This technoguide covers the cultural practices in growing tomato. It is designed to acquaint and guide farmers in growing the crop after rice production.

Recommended Varieties:

Tomato varieties are classified according to their growth habit such as indeterminate or determinate type. The indeterminate type develops new stems from axillary bud in the leaf subtending the inflorescence with continued growth of internodal inflorescence every 3rd to 4th leaf with sequential maturity depending on the type variety and management, prolonging the harvesting period.

The determinate type is bushy with an inflorescence limited only to 4-6 leaves and the next buds are developed slowly if not aborted restricting the prolific flowering resulting in shorter production period.

The varieties of tomatoes recommended for production are:
• Apollo (for fresh market) - It is a determinate bush type, tolerant to mosaic virus, and moderately resistant to bacterial wilt. It is prolific with a productive period of 3 months and an average yield of 30 tons/ha
• Magilas (for fresh market) - It is determinate, high yielding, but with short productive period of 1-2 months. It is resistant to bacterial wilt, mosaic virus, and damping off. It yields an average of 30 tons/ha
• Atlas (grafted or kamlong) - It is an F1 hybrid tomato, which is semi-determinate, and has a longer productive period. It is resistant to bacterial wilt and mosaic virus and yields an average of 40 tons/ha.

Site Selection/Soil Type:

Choose a part of the farm that is slightly elevated with good drainage to avoid water logging in case a flash flood occurs during the wet season. For dry season planting, make a catchment canal that will drain the excess water after irrigation. Choose a sandy loam or clay loam soil with a pH of 5.5-8.0.

Growing Season:

Tomato can be grown anytime of the year. Plant tomato from September to January in hilly areas, and from November to February in lowland areas. Grow off-season type and grafted tomatoes (kamlong) from May to September for bigger profit.

Land Preparation:

With the use of carabao-drawn implements, plow and harrow the area once and twice if the soil is not in good tilth. Before transplanting, set furrows at a distance of 100 cm for indeterminate type that tends to become semi-viny. For determinate type with bushy growth habit, set at 75 cm distance between furrows.

Seedling Production:
There are two methods of seedling production: the use of seedbed and seedling trays.

1. Seedbed method:

• For 1000 m2 tomato production, use one seedbed measuring 1 x 10 m so that seedlings will not be overcrowded, thereby producing seedlings with bigger stems. Cover the seedbed with 3-5 cm thick rice hull and then burn completely to minimize the incidence of pre-emergence damping-off on the seedlings.

• Mix 10 kg compost and 100 g complete fertilizer then incorporate these evenly into the seedbed. Sow the seeds in small shallow furrows at a rate of 20-30 g/10 m2. Cover the seeds lightly with fine soil.
• Dust the surroundings of the seedbed with Sevin SP to avoid ants, and spray 1 tbsp of Vitigran blue per gallon of water to avoid infection of damping-off disease.
• To ensure uniform germination of the seeds, saturate the seedbed with water for the first three days using sprinkler until the seeds emerge.

• To avoid succulent stems, regulate watering as soon as the seedlings emerged. For the seedlings to have a good start, apply urea at a rate of 1 tbsp/gal of water at 7-14 days after emergence (DAE). Sprinkle water on the seedlings using a sprinkler (regador) immediately after applying the fertilizer to avoid burning effect on the leaves. Drench the seedbeds with Vitigran blue at the rate of 1 tbsp/gal of water once damping-off is observed. To produce hard seedlings, water the seedbed only when plants show temporary wilting (which can be observed in the morning). Water the plants regularly starting at 14 DAE until the seedlings are ready for transplanting, which is at 25-30 DAE. Water the seedbeds thoroughly before pulling the seedlings for transplanting to minimize root damage.

• Seedling tray method:

• Seedling tray method needs only 100 g seeds/ha or 10 g for 1000 m2. Plant the seeds singly in each hole of the tray intended for seedlings with potting medium available at seed stores, or bake garden soil for 2 hours. When cooled, mix the garden soil, fine sand, and compost at the ratio of 3:1:1. Drop 2-3 grains of 14-14-14 in each hole before filling with the soil mixture. Care and maintenance of seedlings is the same as in seedbed but transplanting shock is minimized in tray method.

Transplanting:

For wet season planting, use one month old seedlings because these are harder, taller, and can withstand the impact of rain. Transplant seedlings at a spacing of 0.50 m between hills and 1.0 m or 0.75 m on rows or furrow right after irrigation water run in the furrows. For dry season, transplant 25 day-old seedlings.

To avoid breaking the stem of seedlings during transplanting on irrigated furrows, hold the roots with the thumb and forefinger then push towards the soil at 3-5 cm deep depending on the length of the stem. For an area of 1000 m2, transplant the seedlings on the right side of the furrows for the first half of the area. For the next half, transplant on the left side of the furrows. For easier off-barring, use a carabao-drawn plow.

For seedlings in trays, transplant each seedling together with the soil from the hole using the same planting distance and method of transplanting as in seedbed method. If grafted tomato will be used, transplant the seedlings 3 cm deep to the hole and cover firmly with light soil. Support the transplanted seedlings with trellis.

Fertilizer Application:

Broadcast chicken manure or organic fertilizer before land preparation or at final harrowing to fully incorporate the fertilizer in the soil (Table 1). Apply 14-14-14 at transplanting so that seedlings will be healthy and vigorous before flowering. Delayed application will result in weaker plants and smaller fruits. Side dress using urea mixed with muriate of potash (0-0-60) for higher fruit setting, and to prolong the fruiting period of the crop.


Weeding and Cultivation:

By using a carabao-drawn plow or hand hoe, cultivate in between rows of plants by off barring at 14-21 days after transplanting (DAT). Hill-up at 28-35 DAT. Spot-weed just after off-barring and hilling-up if there are standing weeds. If plastic mulch is available, mulch the area before transplanting. Spot-weed at the surrounding of the seedlings at 14-21 DAT.

Irrigation:

Four to five irrigations are needed from transplanting to 14 days before the last harvest depending on the type of soil. Tomato is very sensitive to flooding, hence, irrigation must be done just to moisten the root zone especially during the onset of flowering up to the last harvest.

The following irrigation schedule must be followed for a 1000 m2 area:
First : during transplanting (flooding) or hand watering
Second : 14 DAT (flooding) or hand watering
Third : at vegetative stage (21 DAT), handwater at 1 liter/hill.
Fourth : at flowering and early fruiting (30 DAT) handwater at 1
liter/hill.
Fifth : optional, depending on the appearance of the plants at
harvesting stage (hand water if necessary)

Irrigate by furrow (quick passing) to minimize soil erosion and to favor high fruit setting. Water logging for 24 hours will favor the occurrence of wilt diseases and reduce fruit setting. In the absence of surface irrigation, hand water the plants weekly at the rate of 1 liter/hill until two weeks before the last harvest.

For tomato with plastic mulch, hand water twice a week for the whole crop duration.
Management of Insect Pests and Diseases
Insect pests and diseases of tomato are managed by using chemical, biological, and remedial measures. Most of the pests and diseases of tomato are common throughout the year except thrips and whiteflies, which are present only during dry season starting in January, declining in May and ending in June or July depending on the arrival of rain.

Table 2 shows the pests and diseases of tomato and their control. One peculiar disease is the blossom-end rot (Fig. 5), which is described as calcium deficiency by soil scientists but as fungal disease by pathologists because of the presence of pathogen in the rotten tissue. This can be managed by spraying fungicide with zinc oxide or spraying foliar fertilizer with high calcium.

Both diagnoses are correct since the deficiency in calcium will form undeveloped end of the fruits resulting in dead tissues. This fruit end becomes susceptible to infection of saprophitic fungus that causes the blossom-end rot.


Other Biological and Remedial Control of tomato pests and diseases:

• To control worms at fruiting stage, use
Neem seed extracts at 200-300 ml extract/16 L water
Hot pepper extracts at 100-200 ml extract /16 L water
• Repellants for other pests:
Tubai – 100 to 200 ml pure tubai leaf extract to 16 L water. Spray on the whole plant.
Karot – mix 100 to 200 ml of karot tuber extract to 16 L of water and spray directly on foliage of the plant

• Other fungi and bacteria
Fungi/bacteria and mildew – 2.5% solution of ordinary chlorox/baking soda. Spray directly on the affected parts or whole plant.
Fungal/bacterial diseases – zinc oxide powder at 2-3 tbsp/16 L water (with sticker during wet season). Spray directly on foliage.
Bacterial diseases – 1 kg of each guava/star apple leaves and boil in 1 gal water. Restore the 1 gal volume to 16 L with sticker. Spray on leaves/fruits
Fungal diseases – Cassia alata leaves extract (Andadasi or acapulco) 1 L/16 L water. Spray on leaves/whole plants.
Blossom end rot- foliar spray of plant nutrients high in calcium at flowering stage.

Harvesting:

Harvest fruits intended for future use at matured green stage or at 1-2 months during rainy season. Matured green fruits gradually ripen in one month at room temperature. Frequent harvesting on the plants sustains the production of more fruits. For immediate use, harvest the fruits at breaker pink stage, which will fully ripen within three days at ambient temperature but can be slowed when stored in a refrigerated condition.

Growing Mushrooms

The mushroom business in the Philippines is apparently a burgeoning business with enormous commercial potential in as much as it targets a basic need: food. There is also a claim, on the contrary, that its present cultivation in this country is limited, perhaps due to the limited local knowledge about its culture.

But at the heart of the Manila metropolis in Boni Avenue is a dynamic and bracing research center of Rizal Technological University that is taming and developing mushrooms in underground passageways. These channels are valued historically where they were used by World War II soldiers to transport themselves inconspicuously to and from adjoining towns from their attack or defense or simply to escape from enemy troops.

Finding the tunnels apposite for other purposes has given them modern-day worth. The tunnels are regarded to impact positively and directly to the local mushroom industry.

Cultured inside the adobe-made tunnels are edible mushrooms species that grow in semi-temperate areas like Pleurotus sp. (oyster or abalone mushrooms), Auricularia sp. (ear fungi), Agaricus bisporus (tropical white button mushrooms), Volvariela volvacea (rice straw or banana mushrooms), and Lentinus edodes (shiitake or brown or black Japanese mushrooms).

Moreover, the culture of medicinal mushrooms is gaining its popularity abroad. “That is why the research center is now starting to cultivate mushrooms which have therapeutic applications—like the Ganoderma lucidum—to parallel our innovation with those in foreign lands,” says Angelita Medalla, a university’s faculty researcher and mushroom specialist.

Mushroom growing can be made double in a cooperative where division of labor can be resourcefully practiced.

The Biology

Mushrooms are fungi characterized by the presence of gills under the umbrella-shaped cap called pileus. Some have the presence of rings; others have none. Some grow in mass or in clusters; others develop in singles or in pairs. Others thrive well on cool weather, some in warm places. Like plants, mushrooms have seeds responsible for propagating the species. They produce spores like all fungi. These spores are very diminutive and microscopic that they disperse and disseminate through the air with the wind. When they happen to fall on a suitable agricultural waste, these spores germinate and develop into mycelium. If the conditions are favorable, it continues to grow, ramify and develop into mushrooms.

Why Grow Mushrooms?

Medalla stresses that edible mushrooms are good sources of high-quality protein. “They can be produced with greater biological efficiency and have an important role in elevating the diet of people enduring from protein deficiency,” she says, adding that they can represent a source of high-value metabolites like anti-tumor or cancer agents.

There is also a reason that one of the most cost-effectively practical processes for biocon-version of agricultural and industrial lingo cellulosic wastes is the cultivation of edible mushroom. “This is extremely important in rural areas where there are available large quantities of agricultural wastes ideally suited for growing different types of edible mushrooms,” Medalla exemplifies.

Furthermore, the substrate (or agricultural waste) residues that are left after harvesting mushrooms can be converted into feedstock to ruminants and used as soil conditioners. Medalla articulates they can help increase the income in the rural and urban areas, improving the social status of unemployed people.

Economics of Cultivation

Mushroom cultivation is an income-generating activity that can be done both in rural and urban areas. Mushrooms can be grown on commercial or small scale using either highly urbane equipment or low-cost materials and agricultural wastes.

The choice of species and technology, according to Medalla, will depend on the conditions prevailing in the place where one prefers to grow the mushrooms, the availability of the substrate to be used and the availability and amount of capital.

Medalla suggests that mushroom growing can be made doable in a cooperative where division of labor can be adroitly practiced. “There is a group that can be engaged in spawn production, substrate preparation, planting or inoculation, fruiting, harvesting, processing and marketing aspects,” she says.

Mushroom production is a complicated business. It involves a number of complicated steps and operations like the pure culture preparation (the selection of the acceptable fruiting culture of the mushroom); the planting material preparation; the substrate preparation where mushrooms will be grown; the actual planting or the inoculation of the substrate; and the harvesting, processing and marketing.

The Technology

Each operation, according to Medalla, consists of many sequential steps that are crucial and important if success is to be achieved. Despite the electricity fluctuation in the university when MARID visited the university for two days, she shared how mushroom technology functions in their laboratory and underground passageways:

A. Propagation of pure culture

During the preparation of the culture media, peel and weigh the 200 grams of fresh, hale and hearty potatoes. Dice these potatoes to about two-centimeter cubes. Boil one-liter distilled water and add these diced potatoes. Let them simmer for ten minutes or until they are soft enough to be eaten. Strain off these diced potato through cheesecloth, and restore the volume of the potato decoction (broth) to one liter by simply adding distilled water. Bring the potato decoction to boil, and add 20 grams of agar. Stir the mixture until the agar dissolves. Add 20 grams of dextrose powder and stir until it also dissolves.

Pour and distribute 40 to 50 milliliters of the mixture into empty bottles. Plug the mouth of the bottles with cotton, cover with paper, and tie with rubber band. Sterilize them in pressure cooker at 15 pounds for 15 to 20 minutes, and allow the pressure to drop down to zero pounds per square inch. Take out the sterilized culture media, and slant the culture media bottles.

Then isolate the pure culture using the tissue culture. This method is done through selecting a young and healthy mushroom that is disinfected with 70 percent alcohol by rubbing a cotton swab. With a sterilized scalpel, cut approximately one-centimeter cube of the tissue and plant on the slanted agar with the use of sterilized forceps or scalpel. Incubate at room temperature for ten to 14 days or until the media is fully impregnated with the mycelia.

B. Production of the spawn

Wash thoroughly the grains in tap water. Transfer in clean casserole, and add water till one inch above the level of grains. Boil until the grains are about to burst. Cool the grains by spreading in a nylon cloth or line screen and allow the water to drain off leaving the grains just damp (65 to 70 percent moisture). Distribute grains equally in bottles, plug with cotton and cover them with paper or foil, and support them with rubber band. Sterilize at 15 pounds for an hour. Cool the bottles at room temperature; aseptically inoculate with young and vigorous culture of the mushroom mold. Incubate at room temperature until the grains are fully impregnated with the mushroom molds.

C. Production of the fruiting bags (growing method)

At the preparation of the composted sawdust medium, mix thoroughly the composted sawdust medium composed of 78 percent sawdust, 20 percent class A rice bran, one percent calcium carbonate or lime and a percent of washed sugar. Add tap water until the mixture attains 65 to 70 percent moisture, which is determined by pressing a handful of mixture in the hand and no water should run off in between fingers and the materials should stay in form after releasing the pressure.

Pile the substrate or mixture in a pyramidal form. Cover with plastic sheet for a period of five days with turning every after two days, repiling and returning the plastic cover again. On the fifth day or after the second turning, aerate the piled materials by spreading thinly in a shaded area to remove the toxic gases that may have been produced during the period of composting. After the acidic smell has gone, check and adjust the moisture content making sure that it is 65 to 70 percent.

Pack the substrate in not-so-loose-or-not-so-compact bag. Collect the upper part of the
bag and pass it through a plastic ring, and pull the plastic ring down thus making the mouth of the bag. Plug each bag with cotton, cover it with paper, and tie with rubber band. Sterilize 15 pounds for an hour and a half, or the bags may be subjected to steaming process. The period of steaming depends on the load of the container.

To propagate the mushrooms, transfer the sterilized and cooled bags inside the inoculation room, which has been previously disinfected. Aseptically inoculate each bag with the mother spawn. Transfer the spawned bags in the incubation house, and incubate at 25 to 28 degrees Celcius for a month or until fully impregnated with the mushroom mold.

Once the bags are fully ramified, allow them to undergo maturation period by extending incubation by another month. The matured bags are then ready to open. Open the bags carefully by cutting the plastic below the neck, and water them abundantly but carefully. The floor and the walls of the house should also be watered.

On the third day, pinheads or primordial will develop. In this case, do not water the bags but the walls and the floor. Harvest period is expected on the fourth and the fifth day and harvesting goes for two to three days. After fruiting, the bags should rest for five to seven days. During rest period, monitor the temperature (25 to 28 degrees Celcius), relative humidity (85 to 90 percent) and moisture (65 to 70 percent). After each rest period, normal flushing or fruiting will follow and the cycle is repeated. The complete fruiting cycle lasts for two to three months.

The culture of mushroom is gaining popularity in the Philippines. Mushroom is a delicacy and is really accepted as vegetable. Its present cultivation in this country is limited, perhaps due to insufficiency of planting materials and the limited local knowledge about its culture.

Mushroom growing requires little space and time and farmers can make use of their rice straws following harvesting. Mushroom can be grown the whole year round provided a good storage of rice straw is prepared.

This article illustrates the fundamental techniques involved in the culture of banana or rice straw type of mushroom, Volvariolla volvacoa. The vegetable and Legume Crops Section of the Bureau of Plant Industry is now producing mushroom spawn in abundance.

Materials and Methods - I

Dry rice straws and banana leaves are the most common types of bleeding materials. However, other materials like cotton wastes, jute sacks, corn stalks, water hyacinth, sugar baggasse and abaca waste materials may also be used for bedding materials.

Sufficient water supply and soaking tank or any similar container are used. Plastic sheet of gauge No.6, empty cement bags and sacks are used to cover the beds.

Procedures

1. Gather long, clean and well dried rice straws and banana leaves, preferably those that are still standing in the field. Avoid using old and contaminated bedding materials.
2. Bundle the bedding materials 6-8 inches in diameter. If rice straws are used, arrange butt ends together.
3. Cut the bundle materials 1.5 to 2 ft. long.
4. Soak the bundled materials in water for at least 3 hours but not more than 10 hours until enough moisture is absorbed by the materials.
5. Foundation as support for the bed.
6. Set the soaked-bundled materials, closely knit the together, evenly and compactly.
7. Water the bed well with the urea or ammonium sulfate at rate of 1-2 tbsp. per gallon of water. Add sugar at the rate of 33 grams per gallon of water to improve the yield of mushrooms.
8. Press the layer to level of surface. Stop watering when the water starts to drip off the bed.
9. Insert thumb-size prawns around the bed, four (4) inches from along the side and four (4) inches apart from each other. Never plant spawn at the middle of the bed.
10. Set the second layer of straw on the top of the first layer. Put the butt ends together in two opposite direction. Water and press down. Follow the same procedure until a six-layer bed is attained.
11. Cover the entire bed with plastic sheet gauges No. 6 or cement bags or sacks for seven days after which it is removed.

Harvesting

The growth of mushrooms on the bed come in flushes. With adequate maintenance and care, the first flush usually comes and flushes from 13 to 15 days following seeding. When a flush is on watering must be avoided. Watering is resumed when the flush is over. Harvesting is done in the following manner:

1. Harvest the whole mushroom including the stump. Don?t leave any stump in the bed as this would rot and in rotting the adjacent mushroom may be affected.
2. As much as possible care must be taken not to disturb the small buttons.
3. Mushrooms in the button stage of growth are more succulent, hence they are better preferred than the fully opened ones.
4. Harvested mushroom may be placed in trays or in kaings.

Care in the Mushroom Bed

1. When the bed is made, it may be well to cover it with plastic sheet, gunny sack or any suitable materials to protect it from the drying effect of the wind and to keep it humid.
2. After the removal of the plastic sheet don?t water the bed as the bed is still wet.
3. Watering should be done only in amounts, which would keep the surface moist and its environs humid.
4. Watering may be done using a sprinkler, passing same over the bed and along the sides. Avoid soaking the bed as this condition is equally harmful to the proper development of the mushrooms as insufficient watering.
5. When the mushroom buttons start to form, water must be stopped until the flush is over.
6. Resume watering when the flush is over to coax another flush to come.

Materials and Methods - II

• hoe for tilling the soil
• string
• bamboo or wooden stand or bench
• rice straw
• urea fertilizer: 1-½tsp./gallon water
• newspaper for wetting

Procedure

1. Till an area about 4 meters long, one-half meter wide and 15 cm deep.
2. Dig a canal around this, about 30 cm wide and 15 cm deep.
3. Dry the straw very well, tie in bundles about 8 cm thick.
4. Cut the bundles of straw in same lengths, evenly.
5. Soak the bundles of straw in water for four hours.
6. Put the bamboo bench over the tilled soil. Spread the bundles of straw on the bench, alternately arranging them in the first layer, all heads to the left in the next layer, all heads to the right, etc. up to the fourth layer.
7. Crumple the newspaper and soak in the four liters water with 3 gms urea (3 gms urea or 1-1/2 tsp).
8. On thumb sized pieces of newspaper, plant the mycelium (mushroom seeds). About three bottles of mycelium will be consumed for every 4 meters bed with six layers.
9. Plant the wet paper with mycelium 5 cm deep into the layers of straw about 5-8 cm away from the edge and 10 cm from each other.
10. After 5-7 days, cover the top of the pile with a clear plastic sheet like a roof resting on the bamboo, to maintain the 40%-50% heat that is just right for mushroom growth.
11. Sprinkle water 5-6 days after this preparation. Fill the canals around with water to repel the insects and to maintain the right humidity. Stack up only until four layers during Summer and 6 layers during the rainy season.
12. Do not water after this. On the 6 or 7 day if the weather is dry, water gently, using a sprinkler. Repeat if necessary.

Harvesting Mushrooms

1. If the mushrooms are now umbrella-like, 10-14 days after planting, they may be harvested. These will wilt in 24 hours. The closed ones or button-like last up to 48 hours.
2. Do not use scissors in harvesting because the parts that remain in the straw will rot. Carefully twist the lower stem with your fingers so as to get it whole.
3. Spread the harvested mushroom on a basket for selection. Wash gently if these will be cooked soon.
4. Let the straw bed rest for 7-10 days. In one area 4 meters and with six layers of straw, about seven kilos of buttons or 12½ kilos umbrella mushroom can be harvested.

Other Benefits of Mushroom1) Organic Matter - Mushrooms decompose the dead bodies of plants and animals - serve as cleaning function in the environment. They can be used to breakdown agricultural waste (rice, straw, sawdust, peanut shells, banana stalks, cotton and flax waste, fruit pericarps, corn cobs, sugar cane bagasse, etc). One good thing about mushroom culture is there is no wastage. After production, the mushroom bed can be converted into fertilizer.2) Medicine - Mushrooms have been known to possess the following actions:

• Antibacterial
• Antitumor
• Hypocholesterolemic
• Hallucinogens found in the mushrooms are helping psychiatrists in the treatment of mental illness

3) Income - minimum input (if you start from growing bags)
4) Adaptable to group involvement/division of labor
5) Environmentally sound
6) Can be integrated into existing agricultural system

Nutritional Value of Mushrooms

Many myths have been spread about mushrooms. One of the most inaccurate is that mushrooms have no nutritional value. To properly consider them for their nutritional benefits, they must be viewed from a dried weight perspective. And mushrooms give you maximum nutritional benefit only upon cooking. Mushrooms are relatively high in protein, averaging about 20% of their dried mass. Further they contribute a wide range of essential amino acids. Low in fat (between .3 and 2%) and high in fiber, mushrooms also provide several groups of vitamins, particularly thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, and ascorbic acid. Now that research is confirming that many of these species also stimulate the human immune systems, mushrooms are clearly becoming the gourmet health food of the 21st century.

Mushroom has been attracting attention of mankind since ancient times and use of mushroom, as food is as old as human civilization. It is very rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately. It is realized that mushrooms did not receive universal acceptance over the years since a number of naturally growing mushrooms are poisonous. Now the situation has been changed because the cultivated edible mushrooms are totally safe for human consumption.