Milky Mushroom (Calocybe indica) is well known for its nutritional value, longer shelf life and ability to grow in warm and humid climatic conditions. Casing material plays an important role in its fructification and yield determination. The present study explored the impact of the different casing material on the biological efficiency (BE) of the Calocybe indica. A total of six types of casing material treated with thorough formaldehyde, steam and autoclaving were used during the study. The cultivation was done in the poly-ethylene (PE) bag and bed system. Maximum BE was observed in the garden soil+sand (75:25) casing material. However, the BE obtained was at par with all the pasteurization treatment i.e. tunnel pasteurization, autoclaving and formalin treatment. Also formalin treated -Farmyard manure (FYM) + sand (75:25) as casing material resulted at par BE (54.3-56.3%). The lowest BE was observed in the coir pith casing material (32.3%). Seeing recent government restrictions on single use plastics and environmental hazards due to use of polyethylene bags, this study also explored the cultivation of the C. indica in the bed system with two types of casing material prepared through tunnel pasteurization. The significantly similar BE was observed in FYM+ coir pith (80:20) and garden soil+ sand (75:25) casing material in the bed system also. In the treatment where no casing material was used, mass pinning and inability of the fruit body maturation in PE bag system was observed. In bed system, the fruit body matured with curved stipe and low yield obtained (BE-28.5%) in absence of casing.

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