PERIYAR INSTITUTE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION (PRIDE)

PERIYAR UNIVERSITY

DIPLOMA IN MUSHROOM CULTURE

Regulations

1. CONDITION FOR REGULATIONS

A candidate who have passed the Higher Secondary Examination (Academic Stream)
conducted by the government of Tamilnadu or an examination as equivalent to 10, +2 course
including CBSE, which have been recognized by the Periyar University or any other University
accepted by the syndicate as equivalent there to subject to such conditions as may be prescribed
therefore shall be permitted to appear and qualify for Professional Diploma in mushroom Culture
examination of this University after a course of study of ONE academic year.

2. DURATION OF THE COURSE

The course of the professional Diploma in Mushroom Culture shall consist of one
academic year.

3. ELIGIBILITY FOR THE DIPLOMA

A candidate shall be eligible for the professional Diploma in Mushroom Culture is he/she
has satisfactorily undergone the prescribed course of study for a period of not less than one year
and passed examinations in all papers.

4. COURSE OF STUDY

The course of study shall comprise instruction in books prescribed from time to time

1. Paper 1: An Introduction To Mushrooms

2. Paper 2: Techniques In Mushroom Production
3. Paper 3: Diseases and Problems of Mushroom Cultivation
4. Paper 4: Entrepreneurship Development In Mushroom Cultivation
Pratical -1 : Development Of Mushroom Substrate And Spawn -Lab
Pratical -1I: Cultivation Of Mushroom - Lab

5. EXAMINATIONS

The examinations shall be three hours duration to each paper at the end of the year. The
candidate failing in any subject(s) will be permitted to appear for each failed subject(s) in the
subsequent examination.

6. SCHEME OF EXAMINATIONS

1
 The scheme of the Examinations shall be follows:

S.NO PAPER CODE TITLE OF THE PAPER EXAM DURATION MAX.MARKS

1. PAPER 1 An Introduction To Mushrooms 3 100

2. PAPER 2 Techniques In Mushroom Production 3 100
3. PAPER 3 Diseases and Problems of Mushroom Cultivation 3 100
4. PAPER 4 Entrepreneurship Development In Mushroom Cultivation 3 100
Pratical -1 Development Of Mushroom Substrate And Spawn Lab 100
Pratical -1I Cultivation Of Mushroom - Lab 3 100

TOTAL MARKS 600

5. PASSSING MINIMUM
A candidate shall be declared to have passed examinations in theory of study only is
he/she scores not less than 40 marks out of 100 in the University examinations.

6. CLASSIFICATION OF SUCCESS FUL CANDIDATES

Candidate who secures not less than 60% of the aggregate marks in the whole
examination shall be declared to have passed the examination in FIRST CLASS. All other
successful candidates shall be declared to have passed in SECOND CLASS. Candidates
who obtain 75% in FIRST CLASS WITH DISTINCTION provided they pass all the
examinations prescribed for the course in the first appearance.

7. QUESTION PAPER PATTERN:

TIME: 3 hours Max.marks: 100

PART A: 5 X 5=25
Answers all questions
Two questions from each unit with Internal Choice

PART: 5 X 15=75
Answer all questions
Two questions from each unit with Internal Choice

2
 Diploma in Mushroom Culture
Paper 1: An Introduction to Mushrooms
Unit I
Mushroom Introduction-Taxonomical rank -History and Scope of mushroom
cultivation - Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms-Vegetative characters.
Unit II
Structure and key for identification of edible mushrooms- Button mushroom (Agaricus
bisporus), Milky mushroom (Calocybe indica), Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sajorcaju) and
paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella volvcea).
Unit III
Structure and key for identification of poisonous mushrooms Truffles (Tuber
elanosporum), Ammanita sp , Galerina marginata, and Chlorophyllum molybdites.
Unit IV
Principles of mushroom cultivation- Sterilization and disinfections of substrates. -
Pasteurization of different substrates spore printing, pure culture, spawn production and their
maintenance.
Unit V
Nutritional and medicinal values of mushrooms-value added products of mushrooms
soup, cutlet, vegetable curry, samosa, omelette, pickle etc.
Reference
1. Nita Bhal. (2000). Handbook on Mushrooms. 2nd ed. Vol. I and II. Oxford and IBH
Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

2. V.N. Pathak, Nagendra Yadav and Maneesha Gaur, Mushroom Production and
Processing Technology/ Vedams Ebooks Pvt Ltd., New Delhi (2000)

3
 Paper 2: TECHNIQUES IN MUSHROOM PRODUCTION
Unit I
Structure and construction of mushroom house- layout of Traditional and Greenhouse
method- maintenance of sanitation in mushroom plants.
Unit II
Isolation and culture of spores- culture media preparation- production of mother spawn-
multiplication of spawn spawn production- composting technology, bed, polythene bag
preparation, spawning - casing - cropping
Unit III
Cultivation of oyster and paddy straw mushroom - preparation of pure culture & spawn
cultivation methods, harvest.
Unit IV
Cultivation of button mushroom -morphology raising a pure culture & spawn preparation.
Preparation of compost & cultivation of Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus flabelltus, harvest.
Unit V
Post-harvest management Harvest - preservation of mushrooms, storage, methods
quality assurance of mushroom.
References
1. Marimuthu, T. et al. (1991). Oster Mushroom. Department of Plant Pathology. Tamil
Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.

2. Nita Bhal. (2000). Handbook on Mushrooms. 2nd ed. Vol. I and II. Oxford and IBH
Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

4
 Paper 3: DISEASES AND PROBLEMS OF MUSHROOM CULTIVATION
Unit I
Factors influence contamination, diseases in mushrooms in mushroom cultivation-
Environmental, fungal, bacterial, viral, insect pests, Nematode diseases, and competitor moulds.
Unit II
Diseases of mushrooms-Bacterial, Brown blotch disease, yellowing of oyster mushrooms,
Bacterial soft rot- fungal-fungal brown blotch, Wet bubble, Dry bubble, Cobweb, Green blotch
Unit III
Pests and Nematodes disease of edible mushrooms- Aphelenchoides composticola, Ditylenchus
myceliophagus, Rhabditis Dactylium diseases, Phorid fly, Sciarid fly,Mycophila.
Unit IV
Principles of Insect pest Control: Definition and types of insect pests. Principles and
methods of pest management-chemical control. Integrated pest management.
Unit V
Insect pests attacking mushroom and mushroom bed Environmental changes affecting
mushroom production
References

1. Tewari Pankaj Kapoor, S. C. (1988). Mushroom Cultivation. Mittal Publication, New

Delhi.
2. Tripathi, D. P. (2005). Mushroom Cultivation. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt.ltd.,
New Delhi.

5
 Paper 4: ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN MUSHROOM CULTIVATION
Unit I
Brief idea on nature of small business management and industrial technical skills-rules
for setting up of business/ production unit-Maintenance of account and labour capital etc.
Unit II
Storage and shelf life of mushroom after harvest Mushroom receipes Mushroom in industrial
perspectives
Unit III
Market survey-man management-Preparation of schemes and writing to financial
institutions/bank for obtaining loans.
Unit IV
Common Indian mushrooms. Production level, economic return, Foreign exchange from
Mushroom cultivating countries and international trade-knowledge of sales tax etc.
Unit V
Production of various mushroom based foods for marketing-pickles, jams, chips, etc.
References

1. Ignacimuthu, S. 1997. Applied plant biotechnology, Oxford & IBH Publishing co. Pvt.
Ltd., New Delhi
2. Nita Bhal. (2000). Handbook on Mushrooms. 2nd ed. Vol. I and II. Oxford and IBH
Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

6
 PRACTICAL I: Development of Mushroom substrate and Spawn
1. Pure culture Techniques
2. Sterilization and sanitation of mushroom house, instruments etc.
3. Identification of edible and poisonous mushrooms.
4. Microscopical observation of Mushrooms.
5. Preparation of Mother culture
6. Spawn- media preparation, inoculation, and incubation.

References
1. Alice, D., Muthusamy and Yesuraja, M. (1999). Mushroom Culture. Agricultural
College, Research Institute Publications, Madurai.
2. Marimuthu, T. et al. (1991). Oster Mushroom. Department of Plant Pathology. Tamil
Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.
3. Nita Bhal. (2000). Handbook on Mushrooms. 2nd ed. Vol. I and II. Oxford and IBH
Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

PRACTICAL II: Cultivation of Mushroom

1. Construction of mushroom cultivation sheds.
2. Cultivation of mushroom : Tropical and temperate types using compost/ paddy
straw/agricultural wastes etc.
3. Determination of nutritional value : proteins, sugars, lipids, vitamins and minerals
4. Identification of antimicrobial compounds and flavanoids etc.

References
1. Pathak, V. N. and Yadav, N. (1998). Mushroom Production and Processing Technology.
Agrobios, Jodhpur.
2. Tewari Pankaj Kapoor, S. C. (1988). Mushroom Cultivation. Mittal Publication, New
Delhi.
3. Tripathi, D. P. (2005). Mushroom Cultivation. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt.ltd.,
New Delhi.