Volume 26, Issue 5 (2024)                   JAST 2024, 26(5): 1073-1082 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.22034/JAST.26.5.1073

XML Print

From Waste to Utilization: Assessing the Feasibility of Using Post-Mushroom Substrate and Other Agro-Wastes for the Mass Production of Entomopathogenic Fungi
P. Ranadev * 1, K. Nagaraju2 , R. Vasanth Kumari3
1- Department of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru - 560065, Karnataka, India. , ppranadev.11@gmail.com
2- Department of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru - 560065, Karnataka, India.
3- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru - 560065, Karnataka, India.
Abstract:   (863 Views)
Production of high-quality inoculum in sufficient quantities is crucial for biocontrol programs. Entomopathogenic Fungi (EPF) are highly suitable biocontrol agents due to their adaptability, mode of action, persistence, and wide host range. This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of agro-wastes, including sugarcane bagasse, paddy husk, Post Mushroom Substrate (PMS), and sorghum grains with and without 10% molasses fortification, for mass production of four EPF isolates (Cordyceps fumosorosea: MT997932, Beauveria bassiana: MT997933, Akanthomyces lecanii: MT997935, and Hirsutella thompsonii: MT997936) isolated from two agro-climatic zones in Karnataka, India. The study employed solid-state fermentation. Results showed that sorghum grains fortified with 10% molasses had the highest mycelial growth and spore production of all isolates, followed by PMS with 10% molasses (T7). Fortification with molasses positively influenced the growth and spore production of EPF. The results indicated that while sorghum grains were the best choice for mass production, PMS fortified with molasses also had great potential as an alternative substrate.
Keywords: Beauveria, Lecanicillium, Biocontrol, Sorghum grains, Sugarcane bagasse.
Full-Text [PDF 6040 kb]   (662 Downloads)    
Article Type: Original Research | Subject: Ecology and Biological Control
Received: 2023/02/7 | Accepted: 2023/07/16 | Published: 2024/09/14
Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.