Published Jun 17, 2024
Edible mushrooms are nutritional powerhouses. From enriching the flavour of dishes to offering numerous health benefits, mushrooms have carved a niche in both the culinary world and health-conscious circles.
Compost used for mushroom development is often comprised of wheat straws, horse manure, chicken manure, rice bran, gypsum, and other materials. It takes 15-20 days to prepare the compost.
Spawning is the process of seeding or mixing spawns in compost. Spawns are well mixed with the compost, covered with newspaper, and appropriately watered to retain moisture. To avoid moisture loss, humidity must be kept high during the cultivation period.
Edible mushrooms are harvested by hand, either by plucking them from the soil or by cutting off the heads. Then, they are packed and placed in market stores. The yield is around 10-14kg per 100kg.
Mushrooms are rich in Vitamin B, potassium, and copper. They are also low in calories and high in antioxidants and selenium, which makes them good for people with health issues and diabetes.
The most cultivated Mushrooms in the world are Agaricus, Lentinus, Pleurotus, Ganoderma. Edible mushrooms are currently utilised and researched for their medicinal and therapeutic potential. Ganoderma is one used for cancer treatment in Asia.