Characterization and development of cultivation technology of wild split gill Schizophyllum commune mushroom in India

The common split-gilled mushroom, Schizophyllum commune Fr., is an edible medicinal mushroom found growing on wood under natural conditions across the globe. The present study was carried out to investigate the morphological and anatomical features of the basidiocarp and the cultural characteristics of S. commune along with identification of locally available agricultural residues as a potential substrate for large scale production of the mushroom. The morphology of S. commune revealed it as a split-gilled white fungus with flabelliform basidiocarp. The polypore was identified as trimitic in nature with thin walled generative, skeletal and binding hyphae bearing septa and clamp connections. A potato dextrose agar (PDA) culture from the fruiting body yielded a rapidly growing white woolly mould. S. commune was confirmed by sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region. The mushroom seed or spawns were produced by growing the mycelium on paddy grains with complete white cotton mycelial growth and a characteristic tart and disagreeable smell. The commercial cultivation technology of S. commune was standardized on paddy, wheat straw and saw dust bag logs at 28 +/- 2 degrees C and 80-90% relative humidity. The cultivation trial recorded paddy straw supplemented with wheat bran as the best substrate for growing of S. commune with highest fresh weight yield of 91.9 gm/bag, and biological efficiency of 18.33%, reduced spawn run days and days to harvesting.

Automated summary

The study investigated the morphological and anatomical features of the common split-gilled mushroom, along with its cultural characteristics and potential substrates for large scale production. The research confirmed the best substrate for growing the mushroom is paddy straw, achieving the highest fresh weight yield of 91.9 gm/bag.