ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hesaraghatta lake post, Bengaluru, in collaboration with Directorate of Mushroom Research, Solan has organized 26th Annual Workshop of All India Coordinated Research Project on Mushroom on 13-14th, June 2024. The Program was inaugurated by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, DDG (HS), ICAR, New Delhi, in the presence of Dr. R P Tewari, renowned mushroom scientist, Dr. T. K. Behera, Director, IIHR, Bengaluru and Dr. V.P. Sharma, Director, ICAR-Directorate of Mushroom Research, Solan, Himachal Pradesh and PC, AICRP-Mushroom, Dr Prakash Patil, Project coordinator Fruits, Dr S Sriram, Head, Division of Crop Protection, IIHR and organizing secretary Dr Chandrashekara C. Forty mushroom researchers from all over India are participating in the two days deliberations on the recent developments on New Mushroom Germplasm, Mushroom crop improvement, Mushroom crop production and mushroom extension. Scientists-Farmers-Interface has been arranged on 14.06.2024, wherein 50 successful mushroom farmers and mushroom industry fraternity were discussed with the scientists.
Dr Sanjay Kumar Singh, DDG (Horticultural Sciences) ICAR, New Delhi inaugurated the workshop and mentioned that India is globally in third position in mushroom production and there is huge gap in demand and supply in addition to large export potential. Hence there is an urgent need to ramp up the mushroom production and also called upon scientists to make use of farm residue as media for mushroom cultivation through sustainable approach.
Dr T K Behera, Director, IIHR urged the mushroom scientists to apply recent scientific tools for mushroom improvement and advised to make use of the vast network of Krishi Vignan Kendra’s spread across the county for dissemination of the mushroom technologies to the rural India, thereby generating employment and increasing the income of rural youth including women.
Earlier Dr R P Tewari, renowned mushroom scientist recalled the journey of mushroom research at IIHR and advised researchers to popularize the mushroom cultivation through training and consultancy. Dr V P Sharma, Director, DMR solan presented the achievements of the project in past one year. Dr S Sriram, Head crop Protection welcome the dignitaries and delegates, whereas Dr C Chandrashekara, organizing secretary, has presented vote of thanks. On the occasion several publications on mushroom cultivation in different languages were released along with the annual report of AICRP on mushrooms.
