Optimizing Growth and Production of the Milky White Medicinal Mushroom Calocybe indica (Agaricomycetes) through Varying Ratios of Organic Waste Substrates for Medicinal Applications.

Abstract

Calocybe indica, commonly known for its milky white nature is an edible mushroom with promising nutrition and therapeutic potential. It has gained attention due to its white sporocarps, longer shelf life, a distinct flavor, nutrient composition, medicinal and health benefits. The type of cultivation, humidity and temperature conditions and substrate usage directly influence the growth of mushrooms. Performance of cocopeat, corn waste, sugarcane waste, teak sawdust, and rice straw (control) is evaluated in different combinations to assess their suitability on mushroom growth, yield, antioxidant and antibacterial potential. The cocopeat - rice straw substrate combination emerged as the best substrate in terms of bud formation, stalk and pilei length. Corn waste also produced a notable yield 406.1 g/500 g substrate with optimal growth and biological efficiency for combination B3 which comprises of rice straw and corn waste in the ratio 2:8, while sugarcane waste and teak sawdust had resulted in less growth. The presence of secondary metabolites such as carbohydrates, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, and phenolics were confirmed from phytochemical analysis of the cold percolation ethanol extract. The extract exhibited 74.46% DPPH inhibition for 10 mg/mL concentration and contained high levels of phenolic (15.90 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (52.62 mg QE/g) compounds. However, the extract did not demonstrate significant anti-bacterial activity against Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative bacterial strains, showing a maximum zone of 2.5 mm for Bacillus subtilis.