Working on Mushroom cultivation and harnessing their potentials

Dr W Mohendro Singh *

BRIC-Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (BRIC- IBSD) is promoting bio resources of North Eastern Region (NER) for the development of bio economy. BRIC-IBSD is working on several aspects of Mushroom resources of NER for their scientific validation, value addition to propel innovations for development of bioresources leading to drug discovery and development with leadership of Prof Pulok Kumar Mukher-jee, Director, IBSD, who is an expert in the field of natural products research and one of the word’s renowned scientist in exploring bio resources with their chemical, nutritional and therapeutic validation.

BRIC-IBSD is working on the documentation, scientific validation and evaluation of mushrooms for their nutritional benefits, therapeutic potentials and also proving training to different stakeholders for cultivation and product development to promote their livelihood through edible mushrooms.

Wild edible mushrooms act as an important food owing to their great taste, health benefits, and high nutritional value. Mushrooms are found abundantly in the north east India and its exploration is one of the needs of the hour before it gets extinct. To be mentioned, many have lost their life consuming wild mushroom due to lack of proper identification.

Despite their potential nutra- ceutical and therapeutic importance, many of these mushrooms remain unexplored and very less systematic research has been carried out for harnessing their potential used. The team of IBSD research group under the leadership of Dr. Pulok Kumar Mukherjee, Director, IBSD, Imphal has carried out the exploration and comprehensive survey of wild mush- rooms from various districts and habitats of Manipur for studying the nutraceutical and therapeutic properties.

Biochemical and Molecular identification of the collected mushroom has led to analysis of 106 mushroom specimens, from which identification of 83 species has been successful. The specimens were further divided into three fungal classes: Agaricomycetes (93.9%), Sordariomycetes (4.8%), and Sareomycetes (1.2%).

These species were classified into two phyla, with 93% belonging to Basidiomycota and 7% to Ascomycota. Among the most abundant orders were Polyporales (30.1%), Agaricales (22.8%), and Russulales (22.8%), with genera such as Russula (11 species), Trametes (7 species), Lactifluus (6 species), and Ganoderma being dominant.

IBSD has successfully compiled a compendium on the wild mushrooms of Manipur which highlighted a total of 70 species belonging to 2 phyla, 3 classes, 8 orders, 23 families, and 37 genera as a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to document and conserve the unique and rich diversity of wild mushrooms in Manipur.

This research would be the first step towards comprehending Manipur's wild mushroom diversity. Its results open up the possibility of a plethora of more species awaiting identification, providing a fascinating opportunity for future research to better grasp and comprehend the diversity and possible health advantages of mushrooms in Manipur.

The data acquired here will surely act as a reference and a catalyst for future studies seeking to uncover the diversity of macrofungi across distinct ecological niches in Manipur. The information collected here will surely be a source of reference for academics in the future who wish to uncover the diversity of macrofungi in Manipur's many ecological niches.

The study identified 14 newly recorded mushroom species in India, including Acyanoboletus controversus, Agaricus purpurlesquameus and Xerocomus albotomentosus. The proximate composition analysis and nutraceutical profiling of the 20 wild edible mushrooms has been carried out.

The nutritional profile of Macrocybe gigantea J124; Lactifluus leptomerus J201, Ramaria thindii J470 and Termitomyces clypeatus has been published. The entire mushroom was found to contain high protein, fibre, and energy value. M. gigantea J124 has rich minerals and vitamins content.

Overall, these results indicate that the mushrooms studied are good sources of proteins, crude fiber, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals and essential minerals like potassium and iron, making them valuable dietary supplement. Analysis of the T. clypeatus mushroom's extract revealed to exhibit significant antiviral activity, inhibiting replication of chikungunya (CHIKV) and SARS-CoV-2 viruses.

It finding has been published in Food Bioscience journal. Further work on identification of bioactive metabolites and their mode of action is being carried out for various therapeutic application as very few related information is available.

The wild edible mushrooms are a manifestation of both a nutritionally functional food and a source of engagement for a successful social entrepreneurship venture. This is pertinent when considered for a holistic socio-economic development strategy in North East in general and Manipur in particular as it can be a boon in the field of nutraceuticals and also in generating gainful employment.

These wild mushrooms from North East in general and Manipur in particular has shown paramount performance in terms of nutritional and therapeutic value, but the wild growing mushrooms are rarely available, the development of mass production technology is highly recommended. But, very little initiative has been taken up for the same for developing their effective cultivation.

BRIC-IBSD has successfully developed the technique of spawn production, cultivation of Split gill mushroom (Kanglayen) and their value addition. Further, the institute is working on identification bioactive compounds from other wild mushrooms with high nutraceutical and therapeutic value which has potential application for drug development and modern pharmacology.

In addition, development of cultivation technique, for few potential wild mushrooms has been initiated. Dissemination of mass cultivation technique using cost-effective materials, and its popularization among mushroom growers will promote bio economy from the bioresource.

A workshop cum hands on training on Entrepreneurship development with mushroom cultivation was conducted on 24th – 25th October 2024, in which 30 progressive farmers participated. During the training program, 30 progressive farmers of Imphal has been trained on successful cultivation technique of two commercially important mushroom species, namely split gill mushroom/ Kanglayen, Schizophyllum commune and Oyster mushroom, Pleurotus oestratus.

The workshop further demonstrated on the detailed know-how of scientific spawn production of mushroom. A certificate along with Kanglayen spawn and grow bags were distributed to the trainees.