Toward improved spawn quality: Optimizing corn grain preparation for Volvariella volvacea

Ain Syazween Sharifuddin

Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Lyena Watty Zuraine Ahmad

Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Nur Alwani Zahra Ismail

Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Farida Zuraina Mohd Yusof

Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Norfatimah Mohamed Yunus

Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Sobri Hussein

Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Keywords: Calcium carbonate, Grain spawn, Mycelial growth, Soaking duration, Volvariella volvacea

Abstract

Volvariella volvacea is a commercially important mushroom in tropical agriculture, yet its cultivation efficiency is often limited by inconsistent grain spawn quality. Factors such as unsuitable soaking duration and suboptimal supplementation with calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) can hinder mycelial colonization, thereby reducing yield and productivity. Therefore, optimizing grain spawn preparation is essential to enhance the growth performance and productivity of this mushroom. This study investigates the effects of soaking duration and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) concentration on the mycelial growth of V. volvacea grain spawn. Corn grains were soaked in boiling distilled water for 1 to 5 min, with soaking in room-temperature distilled water for 6 hours used as the control. Grains soaked for 3 to 5 min showed significantly improved mycelial extension (ranging from 2.171 to 2.343 cm) and reduced colonization duration (6 days), with visibly denser mycelial growth, as assessed through qualitative observation. These optimal soaking durations were then used to assess the effect of different concentrations of CaCO₃ (1, 3, and 5% w/w). Grains treated with 3% CaCO₃ exhibited highly favorable mycelial density. Thus, these findings recommend a 5-min soaking duration combined with 3% CaCO₃ for optimal grain spawn preparation, facilitating rapid and dense mycelial growth. This optimized method provides a practical framework for enhancing colonization speed and improving spawn quality in V. volvacea, thereby increasing the efficiency and reliability of corn grain spawn preparation.

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