Abstract
Makandura White (MK-White; Calocybe sp.) is a newly introduced edible mushroom variety. Cultivation of MK-White requires a specific agronomic practice called ‘casing’. Currently, the only casing material used in Sri Lanka is composed of termite clay soil, sand and dry cattle manure in 3:1:1 proportion. Due to limited availability of termite clay soil, the present study was undertaken to find out an alternative casing mixture which can be developed using readily available local material. Six different casing mixtures were used against a control without a casing (Control 1). Casing mixtures of termite clay soil: sand: dry cattle manure (3:1:1; Control 2), half burnt paddy husk: dry cattle manure (2:1) and dry cattle manure: sand: loamy soil (1:1:1) took less number of days (4.1 days) to appear mycelium on casing. Pin head formation was fastest in the casing mixture of half burnt paddy husk: dry cattle manure (2:1; 32.3 days) and in the mixture containing dry cattle manure: sand: loamy soil (1:1:1; 36.6 days). Highest yield per bag within 21 days of pin head formation was obtained from the casing mixtures of termite clay soil: sand: dry cattle manure (3:1:1; 84.63 g) and half burnt paddy husk: dry cattle manure (2:1; 82.05 g). The casing mixture of half burnt paddy husk: dry cattle manure (2:1) provided the required physico-chemical conditions to grow MK-White mushroom. Therefore, termite clay soil, sand and dry cattle manure mixture can be replaced with the readily available half burnt paddy husk, dry cattle manure (2:1) mixture for MK White mushroom cultivation.