Information on Agriculture, Horticulture, Agricultural technology,Animal husbandry and Forestry

  STERILIZATION OF RICE STRAW MUSHROOM We can grow mushrooms in several mediums such as -Rice straw , Cotton waste , Banana leaves , Sugarcane trash , Wheat , Water hyacinth etc .   RICE STRAW MUSHROOM   : Rice straw mushroom ( Volvariella volvacea  ) has distinct flavour , pleasant test and very rich in protein content . It is considered as one of the easiest way to cultivate mushrooms due to it's short production duration . TYPES OF STERILIZATION  Hot water Sterilization  Cold water Sterilization Autoclaving Formaldehyde treatment Bavistin treatment  Among these Cold water Sterilization is the easiest to do . REQUIREMENTS FOR COLD WATER STERILIZATION Tank  Rice straw ( 1ft or 1.5ft ) Clean water Lime  PROCEDURE: Tie 5-6 bundles together so that rice straw bundles  won't float in the water  . Fill the tank ( size of tank may vary according to the straw amount , for 50-60 bundles a tank of 5ft × 2ft will be enough ) with fresh and clean water.  Add lime ( hydrated lime) to wate

FLOWER DROP IN CUCUMBER : If you are having flower drop problem in your cucumber plant then you must identify that those flowers which are dropping are male flowers or female flowers .              Male blossoms falling from cucumber plants is normal . Female flowers falling / dropping  from plants indicate that  something  is preventing successful pollination . REASONS OF FLOWER DROP : Pollination problem :  A cucumber plant drops it's flower if the flower is not well pollinated . It diverts all it's energy to a flower which is likely to produce many offsprings . So there's flower drop due to lack of pollination . Cucumber flowers generally get pollinated by Bees and bumblebees . More the no of bees and bumblebees more will be the pollination and less flower drop . Rot and fungal growth . High temperature  Lack of  humidity in air . Low organic matter . Pathological infections ( powdery mildew etc) SOLUTION : If you are cul