Casing media for Agaricus Bisporus cultivation in South Africa

Abstract

A casing medium plays an important role in the commercial cultivation of Agaricus bisporus Lange (Sing). Clay-loam field soil, a mixture of peat with ground limestone, or reclaimed weathered, spent compost or other alternatives like paper pulp and coconut fibre pith, could be applied as casing medium to the colonized compost. The casing medium and the environmental factors influence the mushroom mycelium to change from the vegetative phase to the reproductive phase, resulting in formation of fruitbodies. Sphagnum peat neutralized with calcitic lime/calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is currently the most popular casing medium used in most mushroom producing countries.