Abstract

Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom growing on angiospermous trees that has been used in the Orient medicine for more than 2000 years. Since now studies have been almost entirely limited to laboratory scale and much more understanding on the growth morphology and mass production is necessary to develop economical large scale processes. In this study, domestication of wild isolate of G. lucidum was done, which was collected from Himalayan region of India. Effect of various kinds of sawdust and bran on its yield was also investigated in artificial cultivation. Four kinds of sawdust viz. Mangifera indica, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Populus alba and Dalbergia Sissoo along with Coir Pith were used as a substrate media in G. lucidum cultivation. Significant differences (P<0.01) were found among varieties of sawdust, and mixtures, both in yield and biological efficiency (BE). The highest yield and BE were obtained from Oak sawdust and its combination with wheat bran.

Key words: Ganoderma lucidum, cultivation, sawdust, bran, substrate, yield.