Abstract:
Spent Button Mushroom Compost (SMC) is a valuable by-product of mushroom cultivation.
However, this is not adequately utilized in agriculture. The potential of incorporating SMC
into betel nursery potting mixture was evaluated. The study was conducted at Intercropping
and Betel Research Station, Narammala. The Department of Export Agriculture (DEA)
Recommended potting mixture [T1; top soil: sand: coir dust: cattle manure (1:1:1:1)] was
used as the control treatment with four different SMC incorporated potting mixtures [T2;
SMC: top soil: coir dust: sand (1:1:1:1), T3; SMC: top soil: sand (1:1:1), T4; SMC: top soil: coir
dust: sand: poultry manure (1:1:1:1:1), T5; SMC: top soil: sand: poultry manure (1:1:1:1)].
The experiment was conducted as a complete randomized design with five replicates. Single
nodal “Ratadalu” stem cuttings were used as planting materials. The pH, Electrical
Conductivity, and nutrient composition (N, P, and K) of potting mixtures were analysed
initially. Under growth parameters, the number of leaves per plant, shoot length, shoot
diameter, fresh weight of roots and shoots, dry weight of roots and shoots and root volume
were recorded in two weeks interval. Significantly (p<0.05) the highest growth shoot length
(29.84±7.12 cm), shoot fresh weight (10.46±3.99 g), root dry weight (0.15±0.11 g) were
observed in the T3 potting mixture at 9th week after planting. Furthermore, T3 showed the
highest shoot dry weight (0.70±0.30 g) (p<0.1) significance level. Moreover, T3 potting
mixture showed more similar performances to the DEA recommended potting mixture. In
addition to growth parameters, nutrient analysis indicated higher (0.46%), N (0.17%), P
(0.01%), K (0.28%) values respected for T3 potting mixture. Therefore, comparing SMC
incorporated potting mixtures, the T3 nursery potting mixture showed the best
performance for betel. Hence, present study concluded that spent button mushroom
compost can be incorporated in the nursery potting mixture of betel.
