Agri - Kaleidoscope - Mushroom

The people of north eastern region particularly the tribal population have been collecting and identifying edible mushrooms from the wild. Some mushrooms are also used as medicines. About 93 species of indigenous fleshy fungi has been recorded from the north east. Among those, Lentinula edodes, Cordyceps sinensis, Ganoderma lucidum, Trametes. sp are considered highlyfor their medicinal values. Various edible mushrooms with high nutritional values are being cultivated now. Among the mushrooms, Calocybe indica (Milky mushroom), Volvariella sp. (paddy straw mushroom) are cultivated as subtropical to tropical mushrooms. Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sp.), Button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), Lentinula edodes, Flammulina, Auricularia, Trametes can be grown for commercial purposes as temperate mushroom crop. The region is endowed with favorable agro climatic conditions for cultivation of winter/summer mushrooms with rich raw materials essential for the mushroom industry.