While providing food to the growing population of the country,it is very much important to pay attention over nutrition. Mushrooms are now a potential crop in the country in terms of nutrition and weather. Mushrooms are a type of fungus known as protein-rich food and medicinal crop. China, Korea and many other European countries have gained immense popularity by cooking several types of edible mushrooms. Mushrooms are also widely used as a modern food in Bangladesh.
Mushroom cultivation was started in our country from the eighties. However, now many people have chosen mushroom cultivation as a field of self-employment.

• ️Nutrition:

👉Per 100g of dried mushrooms
Contains 25-35g protein. That’s why mushrooms are being called vegetable meat.

👉Not only protein it also contains vitamins, Amino acids, minerals, antibiotics, antioxidants etc.

👉 It contains moderate carbohydrates and fiber(8% -10%) which is highly effective for diabetic patient. It’s also used to control high blood pressure.

👉Mushrooms do not contain cholesterol but it is rich in linoleic acid which is useful for heart patients. It reduces blood pressure as well.

• Mushroom cultivation method:

Mushroom cultivation does not usually require cultivable land, it can be cultivated in any unused area. Raw materials required for mushroom cultivation such as straw, wood powder, paper, wheat bran etc. are readily available and cheap. For cultivation, 50 kg old Aman paddy straw have to be divided into 32 stalks and soaked in clean water for 14 to 16 hours. The straw should be spread on the scaffolding side by side. Lay the head on the opposite side and make a layer with four more loops of straw on the four loops laid before. An equal amount of pulse powder and mushroom seeds are given within 3 cm along the edge of the layer. In the same way the eight layers of second layer of straw should be spread across the landscape of the first layer and the mushroom seeds and pulse powder should be sprinkled in the same manner as before. The eight layers of straw in the third layer are spread parallel to the first layer in the same way and the seed and pulp powder is sprinkled as before. In the fourth layer parallel to the second layer, eight piles of straw are spread in the same way. Seed or pulse powder is not sprinkled at this level. A total of 150 to 200 g of seeds and equal amount of pulse powder is applied in three layers. The straw bales of each layer have to be tied with rope so that they could not break. The layers are covered with polythene sheets. For the first four days the lid does not need to be opened or watered. Then open the polythene sheet every day and after feeding it for 10-15 minutes, sprinkle water as required by hand and cover the polythene sheet again. Fungus buds grow in the pile in 8-10 days. There is no need to cover the polythene after bud growth. But water should be sprinkled on each pile as required in the morning and afternoon. After 15 days it becomes suitable to pick mushrooms. With a break of 5-7 days, mushrooms are produced in small quantities for another 15 days. One such pile produces three to four kilograms of mushrooms.

️Warning : In the cultivation of mushrooms, the use of boiled water helps to reduce disease. Besides, water can’t be allowed to accumulate in the pile. It should be taken care of not using any pile for more than a month.

Nusrat Jahan Boishakhi

Student of Fisheries at Bangladesh Agricultural University