Diseases and Management of Crops under Protected Cultivation

(Diseases and Management of Crops under Protected Cultivation)
A Glimpse of Mushroom Science & Technology
S.K. Mishra
Department of Plant Pathology, G.B.P.U.A&T., Pantnagar- 263 145 (UK)
The knowledge of science and engineering collectively has made possible to mushroom to
bea highly protected proteinaciouscrop. The growing and production habit of mushroom is
principally based on their species, organic substrates,solid and liquid state fermentation,
temperature, light and humidity. These all together are easily integrated in a defined volume of
space by anyone if that has an outstanding knowledge of mushroom biology, principles, biotechniquesand
handling of sophisticated equipments along with work experience. The mushroom
activities e.g. collection of mushroom, spore print, tissue culture, pure culture, master spawn,
commercial spawn, cultivating techniques of mushroom, crop husbandry, disease, insect and
disorder management, post-harvest management, value addition and disposition of spent
mushroom substrate are performed under controlled conditions by man himselfwithout being much
affected by nature’s governance that make mushroom a fully protected low volume high value
crop. The whole approach as above collectively termed as mushroom science and technology
(MST) in view to obtain mushrooms and or by-products thereof. MST has distinguished features,
describe under following headings
Scope of MST
A. MST in Nutrition:Indian people have cereal based diet which is deficient in protein. Additional
supply of deficient protein in our diet is possible from mushrooms.They are well known for good
quality protein and considered to be a complete health food for all age groups. Protein content
of mushroom is usually high but varies from 12-35% species wise. The digestibility of
mushroom protein is higher than the pulse protein. Alike the protein content the dietary fiber (8-
10%), vitamins (Folic acid, Thiamine, Riboflavin and Niacin) and essential minerals (Cu, Zn and
Mg) are other important nutritional components of mushroom. Ideal proportion of sodium and
potassiumof mushroom extract is enough to reducehypertension. Mushroom minerals also
improve the blood circulation. Total carbohydrate is varied from 26-82% on dry weight basis in
different mushroom. Edible mushrooms commonly have trace amount of fat with ergasterolthat
act as precursor for the synthesis of vitamin D in human body. Mushroom also contains 80-90%
water content that supports proper blending of dietary components in soluble form. In
underdeveloped countries where protein malnutrition has taken epidemic proportions, Food and
Agricultural Organization has recommended mushroom foods to solve the problem of
malnutrition.
B. MST in Medicine: MST also promotes the study of medicinal mushrooms and their bio
molecules with the help of medical practitioner and pharmacologists and mandatory rules of
medical science. Medicinal uses of mushrooms areas old as their nutritional uses. They are
beingused in medicine since the Neolithic and Paleolithic ears (Samorini, 2001). The Greek
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