IGKV: Torchbearer in Promoting Mushrooms as Food and Livelihood Generation Enterprise in Chhattisgarh

Abstract

Mushroom cultivation is a potential biotechnological process wherein the waste plant materials or negative value crop residues can be converted into valuable food. Mushroom cultivation is recognized as an ecofriendly alternative for agro-waste recycling with tremendous capabilities to provide better nutrition for the vast vegetarian population, employment generation and a good income source. The AlCRP on Mushroom since its inception at IGKV, Raipur in the year 1989 had been instrumental in bringing out superior strains of paddy straw mushroom, milky mushroom and oyster mushroom. At present, four mushroom varieties namely, Volvariella spp, Calocybe indica, Pleurotus spp. and Agaricus bisporus have been recommended for round the year cultivation in the country. Chhattisgarh is an ecological hub of many natural wild edible species of macro-fungi which has been extensively surveyed, documented, characterized and preserved as dry and wet specimens from different agro-ecological zones. Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwadalaya has been instrumental in promoting mushrooms as food and livelihood enterprise for more than two decades especially tropical mushrooms for which a substantial policy level intervention is required in regulating the marketing, pricing and food label claims.