RT Journal Article ID 44414d334f7ac4b1 A1 Mehta, Sheetal A1 Jandaik, Savita A1 Gupta, Dharmesh T1 Effect of Cost-Effective Substrates on Growth Cycle and Yield of Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (Higher Basidiomycetes) from Northwestern Himalaya (India) JF International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms JO IJM YR 2014 FD 2014-10-13 VO 16 IS 6 SP 585 OP 591 K1 medicinal mushrooms K1 Ganoderma lucidum K1 sawdust K1 supplement K1 yield K1 biological efficiency AB To find a cost-effective alternative substrate, the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum was grown on sawdusts of sheesham, mango, and poplar. Optimum spawn level was determined by spawning in substrates at various levels (1, 2, 3, and 4%). To determine the effect of supplementation, substrates were supplemented with wheat bran, rice bran and corn flour at different concentrations (10, 20, and 30%). Duration of growth cycle, mushroom yield, and biological efficiency data were recorded. Among substrates, mango sawdust was superior, with 1.5-fold higher yields than poplar sawdust, which was the least suitable. However with respect to fructification, mango sawdust produced the first primordia earlier (21±1 days) compared with the other investigated substrates. 3% spawn level was found to be optimal irrespective of the substrate. Yield and biological efficiency (BE) were maximally enhanced by supplementation with wheat bran, whereas rice bran was the least suitable supplement among those tested. Growth cycle shortened and mushroom yield increased to a maximum at the 20% level of supplements. Mango sawdust in combination with 20% wheat bran, if spawned at the 3% level, resulted in a high yield (BE = 58.57%). PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/708ae68d64b17c52,077f1bbb3fcde585,44414d334f7ac4b1.html