To cultivate paddy straw mushrooms (Volvariella volvacea), prepare a substrate of paddy straw bundles, soak them, and then inoculate with spawn. The bundles are arranged in layers, with spawn added between each layer. The beds are then covered and maintained at optimal temperature and humidity to encourage growth.

Here’s a more detailed process:

1. Substrate Preparation:

• • • • •  Soaking: Bundle the paddy straw into manageable sizes, then soak them in water for 12-18 hours.
        • Adding Supplements: You can add supplements like rice bran and pulse powder to the soaked bundles to improve nutrient content.
        • Bed Preparation: Create a bed on a platform and place the bundles in layers.

2. Inoculation:

• • • • • Spawn Placement:  Apply a small amount of spawn (the mushroom’s “seed”) along the periphery of the bundles, ensuring they are covered with pulse powder.
        • Layering: Place the bundles at right angles to the previous layer in a criss-cross fashion for subsequent layers.
        • Pressing and Covering: Compact the bed and cover it with a transparent polythene sheet to maintain humidity.

3. Maintaining Optimal Conditions:

• • • • • Moisture: Maintain adequate moisture levels. If needed, you can water the bed with a rose can.
        • Temperature: The ideal temperature range for growth is 30-35°C.
        • Humidity: Ensure the bed has sufficient humidity, usually achieved through proper soaking of the straw.

4. Harvesting:

• • • • • Mushroom Emergence: The mushrooms will start to emerge within a few days.
        • Harvesting: Pick the mushrooms at the button stage early in the morning.
        • Production Period: Mushroom production can continue for 2-3 weeks.