Journal of Applied Horticulture. 2005: 7(2): 124-126

Effect of water diluted extract of plants and cakes on weight, whiteness and toughness of harvested button mushroom

Mishra, S K; Singh, R P

Department of Plant Pathology, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263 145 (Uttaranchal), India.

Water-diluted extracts of 23 plants (Achyranthes aspera, Aegle marmelos, Argemone mexicana, Azadirachta indica, Callistemon lanceolatus [Callistemon citrinus], Calotropis gigantea, Cannabis sativa, Chrysanthemum indica [Chrysanthemum indicum], Citrus aurantiifolia, Cleome viscosa, Clerodendrum indicum, Dahlia pinnata, Datura stramonium, Dombeya spectabilis, Erigeron canadensis [Conyza canadensis], Eucalyptus citriodora, Evolvulus alsinoides, Juniperus chinensis, Lantana camara, Parthenium hysterophorus, Pedilanthus tithymaloides, Thuja orientalis [Platycladus orientalis] and Tridax procumbens) and 2 cakes (linseed and mustard [? Indian mustard]) were used as washing agents to improve the weight, whiteness and toughness of harvested sporophores of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) stored at 5 and 25 degrees C. The weight of sporophores increased by 6.66% just after washing them with water diluted extracts of plants and cakes. At the end of the experiment (12th day), the weight declined by 1.87-4.38% among the treatments at 5 degrees C. However, spoiling of sporophores started from the 4th day onwards at 25 degrees C. The sporophores treated with water-diluted extract of linseed cake retained whiteness to an acceptable level in comparison to moderate whiteness observed with KMS and EDTA treatments by the 12th day. Water-diluted extracts of Aegle marmelos, Callistemon lanceolatus, Parthenium hysterophorus, linseed cake, EDTA and KMS were the best treatments in maintaining toughness of sporophores based on a 5-point hedonic scale.