Mushroom Research 26 (1) : 21-39, 2017 SATISH KUMAR et al. Invited Review Article Status of milky mushroom (Calocybe indica) in India-a review Satish Kumar, V.P. Sharma, Mahantesh Shirur and Shwet Kamal ICAR- Directorate of Mushroom Reserch, Chambaghat, Solan (HP) 173213 Corresponding author; Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT The ever increasing population particularly in third world countries is creating problems of food, nutritional security, health and environment. Increase in crop production is resulting in generation of huge amount of agricultural waste creating environmental pollution. These wastes can be used in mushroom production there by producing valuable food with better nutritional and medicinal values, employment generation and spent mushroom can be used to produce organic manure for agricultural and horticultural crops. Varied agro-climatic conditions and availability of agricultural and industrial wastes in India (>700 million tonnes) offer great opportunities for cultivation of different mushrooms on commercial scale. Introduction of new mushrooms is important to meet out the increasing public appetite for new and different mushrooms. In this context milky mushroom (Calocybe indica) has great scope in our country. Moreover, Indian population being vegetarian, consumption of mushrooms would certainly augment their diet which is deficient in proteins and minerals. Mushroom consumption can thus prove a boon to growing children as well as breast feeding mothers. Mushroom consumption has proved beneficial for the patients suffering from hypertension, high sugar and heart problems. Among the new mushrooms, milky mushroom is an important mushroom and is gaining popularity recently. It is fourth most largely growing mushroom in India and being tropical in nature, the mushroom is grown commercially in many parts of the country particularly in southern parts of India. This mushroom is most popular in Tamil Nadu. Keywords Mushroom, Calocybe indica, production, Review History and village markets collected from forests in West Bengal and liked because of its Calocybe indica P&C known as milky attractive robust white sporocarps, long shelf mushroom or dudh chatta or summer life and taste. It grows at a temperature range mushroom is a big sized delicious of 25-35 °C (Sharma et. al., 2008). Natural mushroom reported in India by Purkayastha occurrence of milky mushroom in plains of and Chandra (1976). It is an attractive Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan has also been mushroom with large, milky white reported (Doshi et. al., 1989; Krishnamoorthy, sporophores, belonging to the family 1995). In spite of sincere efforts by different Tricholomataceae of the order Agaricales. It workers only limited success was achieved grows in nature on humus soil under the on the cultivation of this mushroom until road side trees in the forest. It is sold in city 1998. Krishnamoorthy (1995) identified a Received on 25 May 2017; Accepted on 13 June 2017 http://epubs.icar.org.in/ejournal/index.php/MR/issue/view 21 STATUS OF MILKY MUSHROOM IN INDIA potential strain of milky mushroom The energy value of substrates worked out occurring in a sugarcane field near based on cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin Coimbatore and was later released as a new content revealed highest energy value of 466 variety called APK 2. The best temperature K Cal per 100 gm substrate in coirpith optima for cultivating this mushroom are 30- followed by banana trash (435 K Cal per 100 35 °C. Some workers have reported that 32 gm), paddy straw (391 K Cal per 100 gm) °C was ideal for spawn run and fruit body and wood shavings (380 K Cal per 10 gm initiation was more at 30 °C and 90% RH. values) (Usha, 2007). Yield reduction was reported at temperature below 25 °C. Complete darkness less Nutritive and medicinal value favoured fruit body formation and diffused light helped in the elongation of stipe. Nutritive value of milky mushroom is Strandy and vigourous mycelial growth of comparable with other mushrooms. Mature fungus was observed when it was incubated fruit body of C. indica contains highest at 600-800 lux light intensity. Maximum protein (17.2% on dry weight basis), while yield were obtained when the cased beds young pin heads contain the lowest proteins were incubated at 1600 lux light. At higher (15% on dry weight basis), 4.1% fat, 3.4% light intensity stipe length was very much crude fibre and 64.26% carbohydrate on dry reduced whereas, pileus breadth increased wt basis. Mature fruit bodies contain 4% substantially. During a survey conducted soluble sugars, 2.9% starch and 7.43% ash. during 2009-2010 in south west monsoon The fruit body contains 12 amino acids, season in Koliyoor area of namely, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamine, Thiruvanthapuram district, Keral, a new glutamic acid, glycine hydroxyl proline, species of Calocybe, C. gambosa (Fr) Donk was histidine, lysine, threonine, tryrosine, valine, collected and pure culture isolated. The arginine, and proline. Out of all amino acids sporophores have bigger sized pileus and gluycine is predominant (10.8g/100g club shaped stout and elongated stipe. protein). In addition to this, it has all the Cultivation technology was standardized by mineral salts required by human body such polybag method on paddy straw and 1:1:1 as potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron and sand-soil-vermicompost mixture as casing calcium. Due to alkaline ash and high fibre material. Average fruit body weight ranged content, it is highly suitable for people with from 250-620g. Farm trials conducted in ten hyperacidity and constipation (Doshi, et.al., locations of six districts of Kerala indicated 1988). Mushrooms have been reported to the highest biological efficiency of 137.4% have a therapeutic potential against several compared to 90.06% for C. indica. First flush age related processes. Sivaprakasam et al., appeared early (32day) in C. gambosa while (1986) and Doshi et al., (1988), recorded 20.2% it took 39.5 days in C. indica. A benefit cost protein in milky white mushroom (on dry ratio of about 3:1 was achieved owing to low weight basis) while Krishnamoorthy et al., cost substrates. (2000) reported 32.2% protein (dry weight basis) in milky mushroom. It is also reported Milky mushroom was cultivated on four that milky mushroom contains higher different agro-residues viz paddy straw, protein than button and oyster mushrooms coirpith, wood shaving and banana trash. (Krishnamoorthy et al., 2000). This 22 SATISH KUMAR et al. mushroom has higher dry matter (14.4%) and (Phenolic compounds with sulfur in place of fiber content (61.1%). Milky mushroom also oxygen) in animal cells is glutathione, which contains higher sugars and fat (59.9% and exist is both reduced (GSH) and oxidized 0.67%, respectively) compared to other (GSSG) stateThe GSH is essential for protein edible mushrooms. Saranya et al., (2011) and DNA synthesis, regulation of enzyme reported that the type of substrates and activities and protection against free radicals supplements used for mushroom cultivation (Selvi et al., 2007). Mirunalini et al., (2012) had greatly influenced the proximate and Babu and Rao (2013), have reported in composition including antioxidants. These vitro antioxidant activities of C. indica authors also reported increased levels of extracts. The results showed higher DPPH calcium, phosphorus and iron in the milky scavenging activity, reducing power, white mushroom. Ragul (2013) reported that chelation, and hydrogen peroxide chitosan from C. indica sporophores ranged scavenging activity in C. indica compared to from 2.5% to 2.9% on dry weight basis. The Agaricus bisporus. Interestingly, the stipe of C. beta-glycans present in dietary fibers of indica exhibited more chelation, hydrogen mushrooms are reported to have stimulatory peroxide scavenging activity, flavonoid and effect on immune system with anti- total phenolic contents as compared to its mutagenic, anticancer and antitumor cap. activities (Crisan and Sands, 1978). Good amount of minerals (Ca, K, Mg, Na, and P) Govindan et al., (2014) evaluated the and trace elements (Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) from possible protective effects of milky milky white mushrooms (Mattila et al., 2001; mushroom fruting body polysaccharides Zahid et al., 2010). (CIFBP) against oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Reactive oxygen species and free radicals Diabetes was induced in overnight fasted causes a number of diseases such as adult Wistar strain albino female rats rheumatoid arthritis, cirrhosis and life weighing 150-180g by single intraperitoneal threatening diseases like cancer in the injection of freshly prepared streptozotocin human body. There are vitamins, (60mg/kg body weight) in 0.1M citrate compounds and enzymes like vitamin E, C, buffer (pH 4.5) and NAD (110mg/kg body polyphenols, carotenoids, glutathione, weight). Three days after STZ injection superoxide dismutase, catalase etc. help in diabetic rats received CIFBP orally at the neutralizing free radicals in the human doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg daily for 30 system. Milky mushroom contains good days. The effect of CIFBP on glucose, amount of vitamin A (0.275mg per g) (Alam glycosylated haemoglobin (HBA1C), et al., 2008), vitamin C (1.03mg /100 g) (Selvi superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase et al., 2007), vitamin E (tocopherol) (Mattila, (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), 2000) (2.8 mg/g) and Glutathione (0.025 glutathione–S-transferasen (GST), nmole/g). Vitamin C is a free radical glutathione reductase (GR), reduced scavenger and inhibitor of lipid peroxidation glutathione (GSH), vitamin C, thiobarbituric whereas Vitamin E is an antioxidant that acid reactive substances (TBARS) and protects membranes, lipids and lipoproteins. hydroperoxide in serum, liver, kidney and The most abundant non-protein thiol pancreas were studied. The levels of glucose, 23 STATUS OF MILKY MUSHROOM IN INDIA HBA1C, TBARS and hydroperoxide were the raised acetyl choline esterase (AChE) increased significantly whereas; activities of activities, malondiadehyde (MDA), enzymic and level of non-enzymic hydroperoxide (HPO), protein carbonyls antioxidants were decreased in STZ induced (PCO), advanced oxidation protein products diabetic rats.