Nauni/Solan: Button Mushroom cultivation has proved a boon for the marginal farmers of the state. With government initiatives, thousands of marginal farmers are now cultivating mushroom mainly in Solan, Shimla, Mandi, Kangra and Bilaspur district of the state.

Dr YS Parmar Univ of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni is playing an important role in guiding farmers and preparing quality compost for the cultivation. Here, Dr Darmesh Gupta, Department of Plant Pathology, Dr YS Parmar Univ of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni has come out with a video tutorial to prepare quality Compost for Button Mushroom cultivation.

Mushrooms are popular for their delicacy and food value. The agro climate conditions prevailing in many parts of the state provide ample scope for the cultivation of mushroom. Viewing this opportunity, the mushroom cultivation was introduced in state in early sixties as an experimental bases, and now it has emerged as an important commercial crop in the state. Mainly two types of Mushroom viz. White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporous) and Dhingri (Pleuritus spp.) are being cultivated in the state.

To promote the cultivation the state government, time and again coming out with schemes and giving incentives to the farmers. Recently in 2019-20, the state government has initiated a scheme ‘Himachal Khumb Vikas Yojna’.