CULTIVATION AND YIELD OF Neolentinus kauffmanii (EDIBLE MUSHROOM) USING DIFFERENT AGRO INDUSRIAL WASTES

Mushrooms have been considered as ingredient of gourmet cuisine across the globe, especially for their unique flavour and have been valued by humankind as a culinary wonder. Micro-economy and community engagement in mushroom cultivation is helping rural economy of Kanyakumari district. Neolentinus kauffmanii is an edible mushroom isolated from the forest area of Western hats. In the present study, paddy straw, sugarcane baggase and wood chips were used for the cultivation of N. kauffmanii. Pin heads appeared 3-5 weeks after spawning. Maximum yield of fruit bodies was realized in the case of paddy straw (280 g/kg) followed by sugarcane baggase (225 g/kg) and wood chips (156 g/kg). The biological efficiency of N. kauffmanii fruit body on paddy straw has been 126 kcal whereas, that of sugarcane baggase and wood chips was 107.6 kcal and 79.2 kcal, respectively. This paper describes the rapid growth of mushroom cultivation and its contribution to food security and rural sustainable development. The role of bio-innovation, technological dissemination and marketing are also examined. Mushroom could potentially very important in future food supplies and new dimensions of sustainable agriculture and forestry.