Diversity and applications of mushrooms

Abstract

Mushrooms which are earliest known fleshy fungi are widely distributed in tropical temperate regions alike. They are attractive in colour, design and shape and intimately associated with human civilization. They are ubiquitous saprophytes as well as symbiotic in nature. Though many are edible and have medicinal properties, some are deadly poisonous and are called toadstools. Taxonomically they represent ascomycotina and basidiomycotina. They can be active and produce variety of metabolites exhibiting wide-spectrum biological activities including antimicrobial, haematological, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antitumour, etc., receiving increasing attention of pharmacologists and medical practitioners. Some mushrooms produce hallucinogens and are consumed on festive occasions. Mushrooms have received greater attention as food for healthy life. They being fibrous in nature, low lipid and sugar content mushrooms are a recommended food for diabetes and heart patients. In spite of all these good attributes, very few mushrooms have been studied and still many more await study. In spite of these facts, only about 20 mushrooms are being cultivated. Therefore, there is not only an urgent need for survey of these fungi in unexplored and non-accusable regions but also a need to develop methods for their cultivation in an economical way. Further efforts to increase shelf life and processing different edible mushrooms need to be taken up.