**2. Mushroom cultivation**

Vegetable Mushroom cultivation entails a number of various activities, each of which should be properly carried out. The substrate making, inoculation, incubation, and production needs are governed by the mushroom species to be grown. The initial step is to get pure mycelium mushroom strain. Mycelium can be derived via spores, which are part of a specific fungus, or through a variety of germplasm suppliers. Mycelium is cultivated on cereal grains such as wheat, rye, or millet to get inoculum and is referred to as "spawn" [18, 19]. The goal of the mycelium-coated grain is to colonize the selected bulk growth substrate fast. The sustainability of the "spawn," which must be produced in a clean environment in order to prevent contamination of the substrate, is critical to the success of mushroom cultivation. Several research has been conducted in order to enhance the quality and create new production procedures. P. Ostreatus spawn, for example, has indeed been produced in several ways: on grain, wheat, rice, and sorghum are a [20–22], and on grain strewn with grain are few

## *Edible Mushrooms, a Sustainable Source of Nutrition, Biochemically Active Compounds and Its… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102694*

examples [23–25]. The growth in mushroom output has resulted from more specialized research conducted by a number of international institutes in various areas of mushroom growing. The adoption of DNA-based technologies has sped up breeding processes and will benefit mushroom breeding initiatives [26]. The discovery and identification of genetic markers have resulted in significant advancements in the development of breeding procedures [27]. The study of the biological component of mating-type DNA in strain creation cannot be overstated with excellent yield and tolerance to bacterial illnesses [28, 29], infectious infections [29, 30], and pathogenic organisms [31, 32]. To enhance mushroom cultivation production, it's critical to provide ideal conditions and, if feasible, provide automated monitoring of growth rooms, handling machines, hydroblending, and pre-wet equipment, or other current technology, as well as novel sterile procedures, to continue cultivating mushrooms on a non-composted substrate [33]. A computerized integrated environmental system is a major asset in mushroom cultivation. Environmental characteristics such as temperature, moisture, ventilation, elevation, and co2 and oxygen levels are monitored by the software. However, automatic ammonia concentration and moisture regulation in casing soil still seem to be uncommon. Dutch mushrooms were the first to use climate computer farming more than two decades ago, and they are now widely employed in the sector [34]. Climate control in industrial facilities enables monitoring and administration of numerous mushroom growth rooms with a little touch. A computerized environmental control method allows farmers to monitor and change the plant variables' ambient conditions electronically [35]. Placement, size, choices, and plucking of mushrooms are all part of the harvesting process. Compression investigations with cylindrical mushroom sample parts yielded the mechanical characteristics needed for automated harvesting analysis [36, 37], spawning generation is a barrier to mushroom growth because creating high-quality spawn demands a permanent facility, specific skills, and an autoclave, a sort of high-pressure cooker, expansion in low-resource locations is difficult, the facilities commonly seen in research labs and universities [38]. Producers in low-income countries must choose between producing their own spawn and purchasing it fully prepared. Producing spawn takes at least one year of competence as well as the capacity to maintain a sterile environment, which may be costly and energy-consuming. If growers are unable to produce viable spawn, most of the mushroom growth process will be halted. Because they lack the means to spawn high-yielding quality cultures, mushroom enterprises in low- and middle-income countries obtain seeds regularly from other developed countries like United State and Europe. Because locally produced cultures do not have high biological efficiency, the majority of commercial mushroom cultivation in Latin America is currently done with imported spawn. As a result, fruiting yields are less than half of those of foreign spawns [39]. Outdoor cultivation takes place periodically beneath the forest canopy, with mushroom beds built on a high platform made from bricks and bamboo poles. Hand or motorized cutters are used to cut the top leafy piece and a section of the sturdy stalk towards the roots to make straw bundles 45 cm long and 10 cm wide. After arranging the bundles side by side, the mushroom spawn is put in six to eight regions and coated with red gram dal powder. The spawn cycle needs at least 39 degrees Celsius and will take 6–7 days to complete. The mushrooms start to emerge after 12–13 days of spawning [40]. Internal gardening may be completed using a substrate/compost composed of cotton ginning mill refuse and paddy straw. Steam is brought into the cropping chamber in order to heat condition the compost. For 4–5 hours, the temperature is kept at 62 degrees Celsius. The plastic sheet will be used to cover the mattresses. During the spawn run,

the room temperature is kept at 32–34 degrees Celsius. Within up to five days, the compost colonizes, and the beds are watered once the plastic covering is removed. The pinhead appears on the fifth-sixth day of spawning. The initial flush of mushrooms is available for picking after another 4–5 days. The paddy straw mushroom should not be refrigerated and should be used shortly after collecting or for a few hours, it was maintained at cellar temperature [40].
