Abstract :
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Mushroom are eukaryotic, spore bearing
,macrofungi, saprophytic with umbrella like fruiting body ,Both
edible as well as poisonous species are well known. Edible fungi
like Agaricus compestris, Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus
ostreatus are commercially cultivated all over the world .In India
the main centres are at H.P(Solan),Punjab, Haryana and U.P.For
mushroom cultivation technical training is a must ,which is
freely given at research centres now-a-days. Cultivation requires
spawns or seeds which are taken from commercial centres or
from labs. in pure culture forms . These are then added to the
pre- prepared compost mixture. Temperature as well as moisture
plays a very important role as high temperature favors mycelial
growth whereas the low temperature favors fruiting bodies (
basidiocarp) formation. Mushrooms mainly consist of vitamin
C,D, B6, B12 apart from minerals like calcium, iron, potassium,
selenium. It is low in carbohydrates and fats with lots of
medicinal properties. The bio-active constituents of mushroom
show many pharmacological effects. It has antitumours, ,antiviral
,antifungal, antibacterial properties and also show
hypocholesterolic and hypoglycemic effects. Mushrooms are good
agents of biotransformers and biodegraders since it is seen that
they can degrade wastes like straws of crops, stalks , leaves , jute,
cotton and sugarcane trash due to their lignin as well as cellulose
degrading activity. These are sustainable , technically feasible,
environment friendly as well as commercially viable also
compared to bacterial and others biodegraders. Protein rich
straw left after the mushroom production is fed to cattle and the
dung is used for biogas production and vermicomposting. So
such integrated system is needed for profitable , sustainable and
environment recycling of agro-industrial waste. Cultivation of
mushroom is boon for farmers and can be a profitable industry
as it provides maximum gains with minimum efforts.
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