For ensuring that mushroom cultivation is taken up in large scale across the country, the government must give thrust to promotion of cultivation of various varieties as per prevailing temperature across varies agro climatic zones.

As present, the annual production of mushroom is estimated to be around 1.2 lakh tonne out of which majority belong to button mushroom, which grows naturally at places where temperature is around 20-30 degree Celsius.

According to Manjit Singh, director, Directorate of Mushroom Research (DMR), Solan-based institute affiliated to Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), there are varieties such as milky (30-35 degree Celsius), paddy straw (30-39 degree), oyster (20-30 degree) which can be grown across the country.

?Besides increase in consumption, there is an urgent need to give a thrust for the promotion of varieties of mushroom depending on the agro climatic zones so that benefit of crop with known medicinal qualities reach large number of population,? Singh of DMR told FE.

It is estimated that in a 250 square feet area, cultivator can start growing mushroom and earn up to Rs 3000 per month. This is an additional income to the poor families in the rural areas. Value-added products like dry mushroom, mushroom pickle, mushroom powder can further enhance the profits.

Mushrooms are source of quality protein having essential amino acids and high digestibility and does not have any cholesterol and contain low fat. In addition, it has high fibre content and high potassium. These attributes make mushroom a health food.

Recently, the directorate had cultivated on autoclaved wheat straw indigenous tissue culture from a mushroom fruit body collected during mushroom surveys. DMR had standardised tunnel pasteurisation technology for cultivation of oyster mushroom. This will promote multiple use of tunnels that are presently being used for pasteurisation and conditioning of compost for button mushroom cultivation only.

?This technology will also pave way for commercialization of oyster mushroom cultivation. Using this method, pink oyster mushroom, one of the fastest growing species and suitable for cultivation during warmer conditions, was cultivated on pilot scale,? Singh stated.

Mushroom cultivation started in mid 1960s. Close to 50% of country?s production is exported. ?We have aried agro-climatic conditions, which produces more than 600 million tonne of agricultural wastes and these wastes can be effectively used for the cultivation of different mushrooms,? Singh said.