Prof Yash delivers an invited talk at UGC-MMTTC, Amravati University

JAMMU, February 02: Prof Yash Pal Sharma, former head, Department of Botany, delivered a talk on Wild Edible Mushrooms for Sustainable Future to the senior faculty participants of the Refresher Course in Environmental studies and Sustainable development organized by the UGC-MMTTC, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Maharashtra, today.

Prof. Sharma began by introducing the audience to the realm of fungi in general and mushrooms in particular. He described the unique “live-in” relationships that fungi have with plant roots (called mycorrhiza or fungal Internet, or wood wide web, www), with algae (called Lichens), within the plants (as endophytes), and with termite mounds (composed of ants, beetles, and other insects)—known as Ambrosia fungi.

In terms of morphology, ecology, metabolism, and phylogeny, fungi are diverse. Researchers studying natural products can find novel chemical varieties with agricultural, industrial, and medicinal applications by using them as a valuable source of bioactive compounds. “But even with its significance in these fields, identifying fungi is still a difficult chore for scientists, particularly for those who don’t collaborate with a professional mycologist”, he opined.

He described how the fungal mycelium works around the clock in all climate circumstances, providing specifics about the preponderance of protein-coding genes in the mycelium compared to the fruiting body of the mushroom. Despite the fact that mushrooms play a significant role in industry, biodiversity preservation, and human nutrition, the learned mycologist was concerned about the indifference and lackadaisical attitude towards fungal conservation.

Citing a recent assessment report of year 2023 from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew cautions that many of the vast majority of plant and fungus species on earth face extinction and could do so before science can fully understand their existence. The talk culminated with the presentation of the several kinds of mushrooms that Dr. Sharma and his group of researchers from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh’s Trans-Himalaya and North-West regions had identified. Additionally, he emphasized the use of mushrooms as a means of reducing the current problems associated with environmental degradation, unemployment, and nutritional security.