TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENT OF BUTTON MUSHROOM AGARICUS BITORQUIS FOR MYCELIAL GROWTH ON THREE DIFFERENT COMPOSTS

Abstract

These studies were conducted m the Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during 2003, Temperature requirement was assessed two strains of Agaricus hitorquis namely AS-64 and W-20 for best linear mycelial growth on three composts (wheat straw + urea + SSP, wheat straw =+ chicken manure and guar straw - chicken manure). Both the strains performed better on wheat siraw wez - SSP compost as compared with other composts. Strain AS-64 gave more linear growth as compared 10 strain W-20. The data further showed that wheat straw + urea + SSP gave maximum growth of mycelia followed by wheat straw + chicken manure showing medium mycelial growth. But guar straw + chicken manure did not show any sign of mycelial growth. Temperatures studies revealed that among the temperatures under study both strains showed maximum growth at 30°C on both composts followed by temperature 25°C showing medium growth while minimum growth occurred at temperature 35°C in such a way that strain ' W-20 showed no mycelial growth while strain AS-64 gave little mycelial growth at 35°C.