Possibility of Evolving High Yielding Varieties of Oyster Mushroom through Anastomosis and Mutation

High production and good quality are always the principal goals for agriculturally important crop. Oyster mushroom is the choicest edible species cultivated in various region of the world. The yield performance improvement was carried out through hyphal anastomosis of four oyster mushroom viz., Pleurotus sajor-caju (Ps), P. citrinopleatus (Pc), P. florida (Pf) and Hypsizygus ulmaius (Hu) with each other and by physical mutation that comprised the exposure of mushroom culture to UV radiation and by chemical mutation by Ethyl Methyl Sulfonate (EMS). Date of spawning, days required for spawn run, days required for pinhead initiation, total yield/ bed, biological efficiency was evaluated. Out of six crosses, the cross between Ps and Pc recorded the maximum biological efficiency. In respect of effect of UV radiation maximum biological efficiency (98.27%) was observed in Ps when its mycelium was exposed to UV radiation for a period of 30 minutes. EMS had negative effect on mycelial growth of Pc and Ps whereas it had positive effect on mycelial growth of Pf at three concentrations (0.003, 0.004 and 0.005%). The results suggested that the exposure to UV radiation for 30, 4, 5, and 10 minutes respectively was effective in enhancing the biological efficiency of the mushrooms under study. EMS favored mycelial growth of Hu except at a concentration of 0.005 per cent.