PAU experts stress on growing mushrooms

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22

Mushrooms are considered as a nutritionally rich diet with unique taste, flavour, aroma and are also regarded as complete functional food for vegetarians.

It is the only vegetable which contains vitamin D and recently Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has also come with a wonder mushroom powder. Taking 5-gm (one spoon) of this powder daily will help in sufficing daily need of vitamin D of an individual.

Recently, National Mushroom Day was observed this month on October 15 to enjoy and appreciate the culinary value of mushrooms and PAU experts stressed upon growing of mushrooms as subsidiary occupation.

“More than 2,000 species of mushrooms exist while around 25 are widely accepted as food. Few of these mushroom varieties are commercially cultivated. Mushrooms are rich in high quality proteins, vitamins, minerals and amino acids, which make them an ideal food for consumption,” said PAU experts.

“The climatic conditions of Punjab are quite appropriate for the cultivation of summer and winter varieties of mushrooms. For summer, farmers can adopt the cultivation of milky mushroom. It is commonly known as ‘dhudh chhata’ that implies milk umbrella due to its colour and shape. The optimum temperature for its cultivation is (28-35°C) that is available in Punjab for at least six months (April-October),” PAU experts added.

“The presence of high fiber content, protein rich, low fat concentration make this mushroom as a good diet for people with hyperacidity, constipation, cardiac and diabetes problem,” said Shivani Sharma and Shammi Kapoor from the Department of Microbiology, Skill Development Centre, PAU.

“Considering the availability of huge amount of agro wastes, shift towards hi-tech agriculture and need for employment generation, there is abundant potential in mushroom cultivation. Mushrooms are considered super food as they are loaded with vitamins and promote a healthy immune system and boost bone health. Further, making mushroom powder by exposing them to sunlight and UV light increases the content of vitamin D by more than 100 times,” they added.

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