Introduction

– The material used to grow real crop i.e mushroom is known as spawn.

– It is mycelium (vegetative phase) from a selected mushroom grown on some convenient medium and it is the strain of the mushroom selected which decides the type of mushroom to be produced

• It is similar to that of seeds or propagating material of other crops.

Essential qualities of good spawn:

– It should be of a strain originating from a single specimen of perfect crop.

– It should not be too old or too young.

– It must have potentiality of producing future crop.

– Should be free from contamination.

– The substratum must be covered with white mycelium uniformly.

– Fresh spawn should have strong mushroom odour.