An illuminating look at the wonders of mushroom biology and an exploration of their enduring appeal

The mushroom has a wide number of medicinal properties such as being an antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, immune enhancer, and also used for the treatment of various diseases such as anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretics, etc. According to current information, there are approximately twelve-thousand species in the world, and out of them, 2000 species are reported as being edible. Around 35 edible mushroom varieties are cultivated commercially, whereas almost 200 wild species could be used for medicinal purposes. This book also covers the diversity of edible mushrooms and describes several applications as an alternative source for food production and clinical approach. This book includes: • the diverse types of mushroom and their enzymatic activity • importance of nutritional properties along with their food product development • industrial and clinical applications of macro fungi, i.e., degradation of dyes, anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, etc.

The white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus is one of the most widely cultivated mushroom species in the world. It is favored for its high nutritional value and multiple health benefits, especially by consumers interested in vegan and clean eating. This book presents fundamental guidelines for mushroom production as well as major scientific findings in this field. It covers mushroom production and trade, substrates properties, compost quality, breeding, pests and diseases, harvesting, and post-harvest technologies. With practical information on methods used by both commercial and small-scale growers. This is a valuable resource for researchers and students in horticulture, as well as professionals and growers.

The Indian subcontinent has rich biological diversity in the world owing to its vast geographic area, varied topography and climate. It is classified into 10 biogeographic regions. Amongst the 34 hotspots of the world, two are located on Indian land extending into neighboring countries - the Western Ghats / Sri Lanka and the eastern Himalaya.

The book deals with the application of fungi and the strategic management of some plant pathogens. It covers fungal bioactive metabolites, with emphasis on those secondary metabolites that are produced by various endophytes, their pharmaceutical and agricultural uses, regulation of the metabolites, mycotoxins, nutritional value of mushrooms, prospecting of thermophilic and wood-rotting fungi, and fungi as myconano factories. Strategies for the management of some plant pathogenic fungi of rice and soybean have also been dealt with. Updated information for all these aspects has been presented and discussed in different chapters.