Mushrooms are a rich source of nutrition and good sources of three essential b-vitamins-riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. One serving of mushrooms equals one fourth of daily riboflavin requirement. They are rich in selenium content and help in fighting cancer. Good source of potassium which helps regulate blood pressure, balance water in fat and muscle tissues and ensure proper functioning of cells. 5 medium button mushrooms provide 20 calories and 3 gm carbohydrates, and absolutely no fat.

While more than 2,000 species of microbes are edible, only about 2 dozen edible mushrooms have so far been artificially cultivated and only 5–6 have been commercially exploited the world over. In India, only 3 mushroom types—button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus and A. bitorquis), oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp.) and paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella spp.)—are being cultivated commercially. Button mushroom comprises more than 90% of India’s total mushroom production.
How Can I Grow Mushrooms?

Button Mushrooms
Its commercial cultivation has already attained a Hi-tech farming status. There are Button Mushroom farms, both in India and abroad established with high degree of mechanization and automation, wherein all farming activities, except harvesting, are done with machines as per computer monitoring. In contrast to these climate controlled Hi-tech farms, there are seasonal farms also, wherein this mushroom is cultivated under most ordinary conditions, where all the activities are done manually. Of course, some farms in our country, fall in between the two, where only need-based mechanization together with the essential hygienic and climate control measures are adopted, which obviously are more suited to Indian conditions and are more cost-effective and competitive.



Oyster Mushrooms
The Pleurotus spp. derive their common name due to the oyster-like shape of their fruit-body. Best suited mushroom variety for organic farming. It can utilize any organic waste rich in ligno-cellulosics. Some of the materials used for its cultivation are cereal and millet straws, residues of oilseeds and pulses, cotton, Jute and coconut wastes, sugarcane bagasse, tea leaf waste, waste paper, etc. Similarly, species of oyster mushroom show good adaptability to a wide range of temperature, making it possible to grow this mushroom almost round-the-year without recourse to controlled climatic conditions. It is also amenable to simple dehydration with good rehydration capacity and hence costly canning procedure is not necessary for its preservation and marketing. With all these qualities, this mushroom is highly suitable for Indian farmers.




Paddy Straw Mushrooms
This is the first edible mushroom cultivated in India. It is a tropical mushroom with a temperature requirement as high as 35°C. It is, therefore, highly suitable for northern plains, coastal and plateau areas of south India. It is mostly cultivated on straw of rice, wheat, barley and oat, the most common being paddy straw.

General Tips

1. Buy only fresh mushrooms with clean white caps without any blemishes and bruises
2. As the longer, they stay on the shelves of the stores the darker the caps become
3. Store mushrooms in paper bags only, as polythene bags does not allow the respired humidity to go out and the resultant moisture accumulation will turn them slippery