RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

Research Achievements 2018-19

RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE YEAR 2019-20

Crop Production

• Out of 15 strains of white Button Mushroom, 5 high yielding strains were selected.
• Cordyceps militaris was successfully grown on brown rice based medium.
• Five strains of Morchella Mushroom (DMRO-163, DMRO-165, DMRO-168, DMRO- 169 and a new Morchella culture) were identified for their high sclerotial production potential. Commercial spawn production technique standardized for Morchella Mushroom. Attempts on artificial cultivation of Morchella Mushroom were made and fruit bodies of 1 cm size were produced.
• Substrate colonization has been completed in all the five strains tried for the seasonal cultivation of Morchella mushroom in the field conditions.  The exogenous nutrition was provided to all the strains as readymade food for the initiation of fruit body in Morchella mushroom.
• Successfully cultivated Grifola frondosa as medicinal mushroom on saw dust and obtained BE (15%).

Crop Protection

• Screening of strains of Agricus bitorquis for resistance against wet bubble disease was completed under in vitro conditions and DMRA-B6 and DMRA-B8 were selected as expected source of resistant genes against Mycogone perniciosa (wet bubble disease)
• Varietal improvement
• Cultivation technique for Isaria cicadea developed.
• One high yielding strain of button mushroom U3-54 was released.
• 2 New hybrids of oyster and Shiitake namely PSCM-35 & DMRO-352 were released for cultivation.
• 4 New varieties of Pleurotus released for cultivation in different agro-climatic zones of the country.
• Collection of 5 new Pleurotus sp. from Pune region of Maharashtra and 160 new germplasm of wild mushroom from other parts of the country during this period.
• 100 SSIs of NBS-5 strain of Agaricus bisporus were characterized for quality and other traits.
• 200 SSIs of NBS-1 strain of Agaricus bisporus were isolated for varietal improvement.
• Out of 12 strains of button mushroom, one high yielding brown strain was identified.
• High yielding SSIs were identified by fruiting trial from NBS-5 and NBS-1 strains of button mushroom.
• AICRP trial on Oyster mushroom was laid out and variety PL-3906 out yielded check in two flushes.
• A strain H27 in oyster mushroom was selected and bred which showed 56% BE in two flushes.

Postharvest management and value addition

• Storage study of mushroom fortified health drink powder concluded and changes in the sensory properties and nutritional composition of the drink powder were recorded and process optimization and formulation of mushroom vegetables mixed soup premix developed.
• Two new value added products from Mushroom i.e. Shiitake Mushroom vegetable soup mix and Oyster Mushroom spread have been developed.  The developed products were found acceptable based on sensory properties and nutritional rich.
• Button mushroom variety NBS-5 and oyster mushroom variety Pleurotus florida were studied for the biochemical changes during storage at ambient and low temperature.  There was a significant reduction in protein, total sugars and phenol contents whereas the polyphenol oxidase was found to increase with faster rate at ambient than low temperature.  The quality of the mushroom was found better in PE followed by punnet.

Extension

• Training on Mushroom Cultivation Technology for Entrepreneurs was conducted w.e.f. 4th – 10th April, 2019 at this Directorate.
• Training on Mushroom Cultivation Technology for Small/Marginal farmers was conducted w.e.f. 13th – 17th May, 2019 at this Directorate.
• One day training on Mushroom Cultivation Technology under SCSP Component (8th June, 2019) was conducted at this Directorate.
• Training on Mushroom Cultivation Technology for KVK staff was conducted w.e.f. 11th – 17th June, 2019 at this Directorate.
• e-Learning module developed for Mushroom e-learning & launched on the website of the Directorate.
• Attitude of trainees towards training programme developed at ICAR-DMR, Solan.
• Three Training programmes on Mushroom cultivation technology two trainings under NEH/TSP and eight training programmes under SC-SP were conducted on and off campus during this period.
• Conducted 2 trainings, 1 Entrepreneurs training on Mushroom cultivation & 1 training for TSP personnel during this period.
• NE training was conducted from 02-04th March, 2020 at ICAR-RC NEH Manipur, Imphal and 60 participants participated in the training programme.
• Under SC-SP, two trainings were conducted on 22nd and 23rd February, 2020 at Ranchi and 130 participants attended the training.
• 200 Hours training programme on Mushroom production technology conducted w.e.f. 20.01.2020 to 13.02.2020 and 17.02.2020 to 12.03.2020. Total 40 participants participated in the training programme.
• Organized one day National Mushroom Mela on 10th September, 2019 at ICAR-DMR, Solan in which more than 1100 Mushroom Growers, Kisan etc. from 18 States participated.