Attempts on Mass Production of Nomuraea rileyi Agricultural Products and Byproducts on Various

The suitability of various agricultural products and byproducts as substrates for mass culturing of Nomuraea rileyi was tested in the laboratory. Among the different concentrations (0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6%) of sugarcane molasses tested maximum radial growth (4.65 cm); biomass production (1.55 g/100 ml) and spore production (5.0 × 10¹⁰ spores 100 ml) were noticed on molasses (6%). Maximum spore production of N. rileyi was noticed on sugarcane-spent wash (10 %). The spore production decreased with increase in the concentration of spent wash and minimum spore production was noticed with 100 per cent concentration. Among the grains and tubers tested, carrot medium recorded greater radial growth, rice and tapioca extracts showed greater biomass production and rice and finger millet supported maximum spore production. There was no difference in the spore production observed on different agricultural byproducts like sugarcane bagasse, sugarcane press-mud, coconut- water and tapioca rind. Among the oil cakes tested, spore production of N. rileyi was maximum on groundnut cake (6.00 × 10¹⁰ spores/100g) followed by sesamum cake, neem cake and coconut cake.