Mushrooms are becoming popular food items as substitutes for meat since they are easily cooked and highly nutritious. Meghalaya is blessed with abundant mushrooms which grow in the wild and are of different colours: white, red, brown, orange and a blend of these. In shape and size, mushrooms vary from place to place depending on type of climate and amount of rainfall. Some mushrooms are edible and are quite delicious but some are highly poisonous. Ordinary people will find it very hard to differentiate and so only those who are experts know the difference. Villagers well acquainted with such kinds of plants say that those in which ants and insects are found are non-poisonous whereas those that are clean and devoid of any creatures are to be avoided. Because demand for mushrooms is quite high, artificial cultivation is gaining acceptance as it does not depend on unpredictable nature and can be harvested at any time of the year. There are many kinds of mushrooms but the most popularly grown is oyster mushrooms or dhingri, scientifically known as pleurotus. Pleurotus has a delicious flavour and hence a favourite . It is a good source of calcium, protein, vitamin B, minerals and phosphorus and very low in carbohydrates. As a medicinal value, it counters obesity and blood pressure and is thus helpful for diabetic patients.
Oyster mushroom cultivation is very simple and requires little knowledge though it needs patience. Paddy straw is essential and it should be fresh or if stored it should be in a cool, dry place and not exposed to rain. Ideal straw preferred is golden in colour, free of any growth or black spots and 6-12 months old. Next are plastic sheets for covering young mushrooms, wooden mould of suitable size, rope, sprayer and prescribed pesticides. For cultivation purposes, proper room/house is most important, preferably RCC with good ventilation. What is needed next is to see that the environment is clean and hygienic, there is enough air and light for growth and uniform temperature so that if heat is excessive then water is to be sprayed on the floor and in case of extreme cold or lack of sunlight then electric bulbs duly fitted in the room will do the needful. White button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus),however, require more knowledge and information which are quite complicated.
Edible mushrooms are soft and may be cooked to be eaten by themselves or combined with vegetables and some other meat. They do not require to be peeled and should be eaten when they are fresh. Since they do not remain fresh for long, they are canned, frozen, or dried before selling in the market. Climate of Meghalaya is very suitable for mushrooms and like other fungi groups to which they belong they grow wild in pastures, meadows and woodlands. Demand for mushrooms is quite high and to supplement supply it is, therefore, necessary for educated unemployed youth to take up farming in this sector since space required is not much and any tiny hygienic room will suffice. Moreover, there is always a ready market for this special fungus.