A

Project Report
On
Mushroom Cultivation

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Introduction
A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a
fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source.
Toadstool generally denotes one poisonous to humans.
The oyster mushroom is one of the most suitable fungal organism for
producing protein rich food from various agro wastes without composting.
Oyster mushroom can be grown in the plains and in temperatures ranging
from 32 to 38 degrees centigrade. Mushroom, which is pure vegetarian
food, is good for diabetic patients. It also has other medicinal properties. It
is good for stomach-related ailments like gastric ulcer and has high fibre
content and no sugar. It is also rich in protein. Mushroom cultivation has
become a profitable business with the produce fetching good returns in the
market

Identification

Morphological characteristics of the caps of mushrooms

A macro of a polypore mushroom

Maitake, a polypore mushroom

Identifying mushrooms requires a basic understanding of their

macroscopic structure. Most are basidiomycetes and gilled. Their spores,
called basidiospores, are produced on the gills and fall in a fine rain of
powder from under the caps as a result. At the microscopic level, the
basidiospores are shot off basidia and then fall between the gills in the
dead air space. As a result, for most mushrooms, if the cap is cut off and
placed gill-side-down overnight, a powdery impression reflecting the

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shape of the gills (or pores, or spines, etc.) is formed (when the fruit body
is sporulating). The color of the powdery print, called a spore print, is
useful in both classifying and identifying mushrooms. Spore print colors
include white (most common), brown, black, purple-brown, pink, yellow,
and creamy, but almost never blue, green, or red.

While modern identification of mushrooms is quickly becoming

molecular, the standard methods for identification are still used by most
and have developed into a fine art harking back to medieval times and the
Victorian era, combined with microscopic examination. The presence of
juices upon breaking, bruising-reactions, odors, tastes, shades of color,
habitat, habit, and season are all considered by both amateur and
professional mycologists. Tasting and smelling mushrooms carries its
own hazards because of poisons and allergens. Chemical tests are also
used for some genera.

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Steps for Mushroom cultivation

The edible fungus is generally known as Mushroom. It is a fleshy, spore bearing

fruiting body of a fungus typically produced above ground on soil or on its food
source. Like other fungi, it does not contain chlorophyll and has to depend on food
prepared by another organism for nutrition. Therefore, it grows alone on dead
organisms or in symbiosis with other organisms.

Cultivation process -:

There are 6 main steps involves in mushroom cultivation

 Phase I Composting – There are two types of compost –

o Natural compost – It is made of raw materials like Straw,

Horse manure, Poultry manure etc.

o Synthetic compost –It is made of raw materials like bran,

straw, urea, calcium ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulphate
and gypsum etc.

 In phase 1 composting we made compost by mixing and wetting the

raw material. Once the material are wet and aerobic fermentation
starts as result of the growth and reproduction of microorganism.
Phase 1 composting takes at least 5-18 days for this compost to be
ready and in how many days it will be completely ready depends on
the raw material.

 Phase II Composting – The main focus of phase 2 composting is

pasteurization and removal of ammonia which formed during phase
1.

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 concentration higher then 0.7 is dangerous to mycelium spawn
growth , so this is important to remove ammonia.

 125°F to 130°F is the most perfect temperature because de-

ammonifying organism grow well in this range. At the end of phase
2 the temperature should be approximately 75°F to 80°F. The
nitrogen content should be 2.0 to 2.4 % and moisture content should
be 68 to 72% .

 Spawning – The process of sowing Mushroom mycelium into the

prepared beds is generally known as spawning. We can do spawning
in two way by dispersing the compost on the trays or mixing the
grain spawn with compost before filling the trays. Once the
spawning is done we cover the trays with newspaper and then
sprinkle some water to maintain moisture content.

 Casing – When we mix finely crushed rotten cow dung with garden
soil that is called casing soil. In this pH should be on the alkaline
side. The casing soil has to be well sterilized and capable to kill the
harmful insect , nematodes , pest etc. By treating the soil with
Formalin solution or by steaming we can sterilized it. The casing soil
require lots of air. After spreading is done the temperature should be
maintained at 25℃ for 72 hours .

 Pinning – The pin develops when the CO2 content of the room is
less then 0.08%. Mushroom occurring at the beginning develops
after rizomophr have formed. The newly formed mushroom are very

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 small. The timing of fresh air to introduce in the room is very
important. Prevent the air to enter in the room until the mycelium
has begun to show at the surface of the casing. Stop watering the
casing when the pin initial starts forming.

 Harvesting – We reap the mushroom into ” Flushes”

The first flush is reaped in 3 to 5 days and get the yield of 15 to 20

kg/m2. The second flush is reaped in 5 to 7 days and get the yield of
9 to 11 kg/m2 a little less then first flush. We get about 27 to 35 kg
total yield.

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Production Technology:

1. Select sites that are shaded and free from direct sunlight. Construct a bed
or plot with a dimension of 30 cm x 300 cm. The bed must be supported
by pegs placed on its four corners.
2. Gather the basal portion of rice straws or dry leaves from standing banana
trees and bundle them.

3. Cut the bedding materials 45-60 cm long for each bundle.

4. Soak bedding materials 3-10 hours in a big basin or a clean empty

gasoline tank.

5. Set the bedding materials. Press and compact the layer evenly.

6. Wet the bed layer with urea or ammonium sulfate at the rate of 1-2
tablespoons per gallon of water. Add sugar to the solution at the rate of
33 g. per gallon of water to improve yield.
7. Stop watering when the solution drips off the bed.

8. Tip: The materials needed are chiefly agricultural leftovers. Most of these
materials are readily found in the fields or in the neighborhood.
9. Insert thumb-size spawns 5 cm deep, 10 cm apart on both ends and along
the sides of the bed. Cover with a thin layer of kakawate or ipll-ipil
leaves.
10.Variation: Other materials that can be used as bedding include dry water
lilies, jute sacks, legume straws, cornstalks, sugar cane bagasse, and
abaca leaves.

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11.Set second layer by following the same procedure prescribed in preparing
the first layer. Repeat procedure until six layers have been laid.
12.Cover the bed entirely with plastic sheet or clean empty cement bags for
5 to 7 days, then remove.
13.Assumption: 15 bags of mushroom spawns may be planted in 5 beds.
Maximum of 10 kilograms may be harvested per bed in one month.
14.Regularly inspect the beds. Place pan filled with water at the base of each
peg to prevent ants or other insects from climbing and attacking the
mushrooms.
15.Harvest at button or umbrella stage or on the 13th day after planting.
Beds will give three-days-a-week yield for one and a half to two months.
Mushrooms in the button stage of growth are more succulent, hence they
are preferred than the fully opened ones.
16.Package mushroom in plastic bags on per kilogram basis. Perforate the
plastic bags allowing air inside to maintain the freshness of the
mushroom ready for market.
17.Air-dry mushrooms that are not sold immediately. Dried mushrooms can
be sold and command higher price.
18.Tips: Do not use mushroom bedding more than once. Used bedding can
be used later as compost for making organic fertilizers. Do not plant in
the middle of the bed because mushrooms do not grow there.
19. Project Report on Mushroom Farming by Amit under 'Agri Clinics &
Agribusiness Centers (MANAGE)' Page 6 of 15

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MARKET POTENTIAL

Mushrooms are marketed as fresh, dried and preserved. Market for

mushrooms is growing rapidly because of their nice aroma, subtle
flavour, nutritious values and special taste. Many exotic
preparations are made from them like soup, pickles, vegetables etc.
It is also used for stuffing several food preparations and for
garnishing. But its consumption is still confined to urban and
semiurban population. Mushrooms have very short life after
harvesting and hence they are sold in fresh form. Their shelf life
can be enhanced by processing them. Processed mushrooms are
packed in special quality polythene bags or canned. This variety can
be sold to far off places.

Mushroom cultivation has been declared as a major thrust area by

Govt. of India. However there is huge demand supply gap.
Mushroom dish is a common item in all the big hotels.

Day by day there is continuous increase in the demand of

mushroom which denotes that there is huge market potential in near
future.

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EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

1. Starting the Oyster mushroom production business requires planning and

preparation. Before starting a Mushroom production the entrepreneurs/
farmers are generally advised to undergo training. They can contact
Mushroom Research Stations/Agriculture University etc. for the purpose.
However availability of training facilities & resources are inadequate.
Hence I will provide onsite training on cultivation technology of Oyster
mushroom production to farmers. During training program special thrust
on Seeds/spawn preparation technique, Substrate preparation technique,
Infrastructure requirement for setting up of a composite mushroom farm,
Crop raising and crop management, Pest/diseases management, Post
harvest handling/value addition & economics of mushroom cultivation
will be also given.
2. Consultancy will be provided for setting up of model units of Mushroom.

3. I will take Initiatives to strengthen linkages between State Departments,

Mushroom Development agencies, NGO’s and farmers.
4. For farmers who have decided to avail loan from bank for Mushroom
unit, assistance will be provided to prepare their bankable project report.
5. For the marketing of mushroom, farmers will be provided necessary
support & guidance.

6. Nowadays internet has become important tool to get latest information.

There are various websites available on Mushroom production which
provides useful content. This information will be shared to farmers.
7. Field visits of mushroom growers will be arranged to successful units &
research stations which will motivate them to adapt good mushroom production practices.

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SWAT ANALYSIS
Strengths:

 Mushrooms are cultivated indoors and do not require arable land. Small
farmers and landless workers constitute major fraction of mushroom
cultivation.
 Mushroom is a short-duration crop with high yield per unit time.

 Mushrooms are valued not only as nutritious and delicious food but these
also possess medicinal properties including anti-cancer and anti-HIV
activities.
 Providing advisory services to farmers on new technologies helps to
retain the clients base.

 India with a population of over one billion people; has a vast domestic
market for mushrooms.

 Mushroom production has a labour-intensive nature and low labour cost

is the biggest advantage of India, which it enjoys vis-à-vis developed
countries.
 Cheap availability of agri-horticultural and forestry wastes, and cereal
grains in sufficient quantities to produce around 5 million tonnes of
mushrooms in India.
 Round-the-year cultivation systems are in operation. Indian climate
condition has an inherent advantage of diversification of mushroom
cultivation in different regions and seasons of the country.
 Strong research infrastructure and availability of expert manpower within
the country.

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Opportunities:

 Mushroom production provides an ideal opportunity for conversion of

agro-waste into wealth, quality food and organic manure and leads to
high range of reduction in environmental pollution.

 Mushroom being an indoor crop provides vast opportunities for

empowering rural and urban women through cultivation, production of
value-added products and marketing. It also provides vast opportunities
for unemployed youths to take up mushroom cultivation and marketing.

 Mushroom provides an opportunity to eliminate protein malnutrition

among people having cereals as staple food.

 India can enter into a big and lucrative mushroom pharmaceutical

international trade that is presently monopolized by some East-Asian
countries and the US. There is big scope for diversifying mushroom
export by including other mushroom species for export./td>

 India attaining self-sufficiency in food production, the domestic market of

mushroom is likely to enlarge sooner than later.

 The collaborative arrangements of government institutions with

nongovernment organizations, self-help groups and corporate sectors for
processing, manufacturing of value-added products and marketing of
mushrooms.

 Weakness

 Mushrooms are highly perishable vegetable crop with less than two to
three days of storability.

 Presently, more than 85 per cent of the total mushroom production in the

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 country is of button mushroom. There is less diversification with respect
to mushroom species as well as mushroom products.

 Inadequate implementation and follow-up of institute-village linkage

programmed for effective transfer of mushroom production technology.

 Project Report on Mushroom Farming by Sachin Kumar Sahu

 Non-availability of suitable integrated pest management (IPM) packages

for major pests and diseases of cultivated mushrooms.

 Non-implementation of agricultural crop insurance schemes to the

mushroom crop and absence of government sponsored minimum support
price (MSP) for mushroom crop.

Threats

 With globalization, there is competition not only for quality produce but
also for the price.

 Improper processing and packaging, especially of canned mushroom

products, might lead to health hazards.

 Tough competition from East-Asian countries which are the major

exporters of mushroom to the western countries.

 In the field of mushroom research, India not only lags behind in

developing the varieties and technologies but the pace is also slow as
compared to other countries, which explore modern research tools like
biotechnology and highly sophisticated instruments.

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Economics of the Project

A. BASICS AND PRESUMPTIONS PARTICULARS UNIT

QUANTITY
I. Technical Parameters

1. Cycles during year No. 3

2. No. of polythene bags required per cycle Kg

COST OF PROJECT

PARTICULARS EXISTI PROPOSED AMOUNT

NG
1. Fixed Assets Required 0.00 375,000.00 375,000.00
2. Working Capital 0.00 125,000.00 125,000.00
0.00 500,000.00 500,000.00

MEANS OF FINANCE

PARTICULARS EXISTI PROPOSED AMOUNT

NG
1. Own Capital 0.00 125,000.00 125,000.00
2. Current Liabilities 0.00 0.00 0.00
3. Term Loan 0.00 375,000.00 375,000.00
0.00 500,000.00 500,000.00

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SALES REALIZATION ANNUALLY

NAME OF Qty in Rate / kg AMOUN RS

ITEM Qtls T IN
1. MUSHROOM 220 55 1210000

Total 1210000

COST PRICE OF ITEMS ANNUALLY

NAME OF ITEM Qty in Rate / AMOUN RS

Qtls kg T IN
Fixed Assets
1- Hut/Room for mushroom 300000
production
2- Machinery & Equipments 50000
3- Furniture 50000
Working Capital
1- Mushroom Spawn 5000
2- Paddy/Wheat Straw 50000
3- Urea, Chiken Manure, 20000
Gypsum
4- Cleaning Agent 1000
5- Packing Material 20000
6- Miscellaneous 4000
Total 500000

* Average Rate includes cost of transportation & packing.

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SATFF SALARY N SALARY PER AMOUNT
O MONTH
1. Supervisor 1 10000 10,000.00
2. Labour 3 5000 15,000.00
Total 25,000.00

Salary per year 300,000.0

Other Expenses (Per AMOUNT

month)
1. Loading & Unloading 200.00
Expenses
2.Transportation Exp 3,000.00
3. Telephone 2,000.00
4.Conveyance Exp 1,000.00
5. Entertainment Exp 1,000.00
6.Miscellaneous Exp 1,000.00
7. lease Exp 3,750.00
Total 11,950.00

Expenses per year 143,400.00

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Classification

A mushroom (probably Russula brevipes) parasitized by Hypomyces

lactifluorum resulting in a "lobster mushroom"

Typical mushrooms are the fruit bodies of members of the order

Agaricales, whose type genus is Agaricus and type species is the field
mushroom, Agaricus campestris. However, in modern molecularly defined
classifications, not all members of the order Agaricales produce mushroom
fruit bodies, and many other gilled fungi, collectively called mushrooms,
occur in other orders of the class Agaricomycetes. For example,
chanterelles are in the Cantharellales, false chanterelles such as Gomphus
are in the Gomphales, milk-cap mushrooms (Lactarius, Lactifluus) and
russulas (Russula), as well as Lentinellus, are in the Russulales, while the
tough, leathery genera Lentinus and Panus are among the Polyporales, but
Neolentinus is in the Gloeophyllales, and the little pin-mushroom genus,
Rickenella, along with similar genera, are in the Hymenochaetales.

Within the main body of mushrooms, in the Agaricales, are common fungi
like the common fairy-ring mushroom, shiitake, enoki, oyster mushrooms,
fly agarics and other Amanitas, magic mushrooms like species of
Psilocybe, paddy straw mushrooms, shaggy manes, etc.

An atypical mushroom is the lobster mushroom, which is a deformed,

cooked-lobster-colored parasitized fruitbody of a Russula or Lactarius,
colored and deformed by the mycoparasitic Ascomycete Hypomyces
lactifluorum.

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Morphology

A mushroom develops from a nodule, or pinhead, less than two

millimeters in diameter, called a primordium, which is typically found on
or near the surface of the substrate. It is formed within the mycelium, the
mass of threadlike hyphae that make up the fungus. The primordium
enlarges into a roundish structure of interwoven hyphae roughly
resembling an egg, called a "button". The button has a cottony roll of
mycelium, the universal veil, that surrounds the developing fruit body. As
the egg expands, the universal veil ruptures and may remain as a cup, or
volva, at the base of the stalk, or as warts or volval patches on the cap.
Many mushrooms lack a universal veil, therefore they do not have either a
volva or volval patches. Often, a second layer of tissue, the partial veil,
covers the bladelike gills that bear spores. As the cap expands, the veil
breaks, and remnants of the partial veil may remain as a ring, or annulus,
around the middle of the stalk or as fragments hanging from the margin of
the cap. The ring may be skirt-like as in some species of Amanita, collar-
like as in many species of Lepiota, or merely the faint remnants of a
cortina (a partial veil composed of filaments resembling a spiderweb),
which is typical of the genus Cortinarius. Mushrooms lacking partial veils
do not form an annulus.

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Growth

Agaricus bitorquis mushroom emerging through asphalt concrete in

summer

Many species of mushrooms seemingly appear overnight, growing or

expanding rapidly. This phenomenon is the source of several common
expressions in the English language including "to mushroom" or
"mushrooming" (expanding rapidly in size or scope) and "to pop up like a
mushroom" (to appear unexpectedly and quickly). In reality, all species of
mushrooms take several days to form primordial mushroom fruit bodies,
though they do expand rapidly by the absorption of fluids.[citation needed]

The cultivated mushroom, as well as the common field mushroom, initially

form a minute fruiting body, referred to as the pin stage because of their
small size. Slightly expanded, they are called buttons, once again because
of the relative size and shape. Once such stages are formed, the mushroom
can rapidly pull in water from its mycelium and expand, mainly by
inflating preformed cells that took several days to form in the primordia.
[citation needed]

Similarly, there are other mushrooms, like Parasola plicatilis (formerly

Coprinus plicatlis), that grow rapidly overnight and may disappear by late
afternoon on a hot day after rainfall.[14] The primordia form at ground
level in lawns in humid spaces under the thatch and after heavy rainfall or
in dewy conditions balloon to full size in a few hours, release spores, and
then collapse. They "mushroom" to full size.[citation needed]

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Not all mushrooms expand overnight; some grow very slowly and add
tissue to their fruiting bodies by growing from the edges of the colony or
by inserting hyphae. For example, Pleurotus nebrodensis grows slowly,
and because of this combined with human collection, it is now critically
endangered.

Yellow flower pot mushrooms (Leucocoprinus birnbaumii) at various

states of development

Though mushroom fruiting bodies are short-lived, the underlying

mycelium can itself be long-lived and massive. A colony of Armillaria
solidipes (formerly known as Armillaria ostoyae) in Malheur National
Forest in the United States is estimated to be 2,400 years old, possibly
older, and spans an estimated 2,200 acres (8.9 km2).[16] Most of the
fungus is underground and in decaying wood or dying tree roots in the
form of white mycelia combined with black shoelace-like rhizomorphs
that bridge colonized separated woody substrates

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Nutrition

Raw brown mushrooms are 92% water, 4% carbohydrates, 2% protein and

less than 1% fat. In a 100 gram (3.5 ounce) amount, raw mushrooms
provide 22 calories and are a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value,
DV) of B vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid,
selenium (37% DV) and copper (25% DV), and a moderate source (10-
19% DV) of phosphorus, zinc and potassium (table). They have minimal
or no vitamin C and sodium content.

Nutritional Value of Mushrooms

Mushrooms contain more protein than fruits & vegetable and,

Mushrooms can also be low in cholesterol.

Apart from their protein content, mushrooms can also be high in certain
vitamins like B, C, vitamin D, riboflavin, thiamine nicotinic acid.

Also an excellent source of iron, Potassium, and potassium along with

folic acid, a component known for improving the blood and avoidance
deficiencies.

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Mushroom Cultivation in India

In India, a marginal farmer and small manufacturing units produce Fifty

percent of mushroom and the remaining mushroom produce by industrial
institutions.

There are two types of mushroom growers in India, seasonal farmers

produce in small scale.

While commercial mushroom framer who takes production continue

entire year in large scale.

Mostly both develop white button mushroom to your domestic market

and export.

The seasonal button mushroom growers are restricted to temperate

regions like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, and Kashmir, hilly areas of Uttar
Pradesh, hilly areas in Tamil Nadu and North Eastern areas where
farmers take 2-3 plants of button mushrooms at a year

To commercial mushroom farming, required heavy expenditure on the

building infrastructure, purchase of machinery and equipment, raw
materials, labor, and energy.

It is very important for a mushroom grower to undergo a practically

oriented training programme.

Also, our Indian government promoting mushroom cultivation hence

they give subsidy under a different scheme like national horticulture
board, Ministry of food processing, APEDA

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Before making to start mushroom farming decision following Factors have
to be Considered to become successful in commercial mushroom
production business :

 The mushroom farm should be closer to the house of the farmer for
successful Participation and monitoring purpose

 Availability of lots of water in the farm

 Easy accessibility to raw materials at competitive prices in the region

 Simple access to labor at more affordable prices.

 Availability of power at competitive prices, as electricity is a

significant input in mushroom cultivation

 The farm should be from industrial pollutants such as chemical

fumes,

 There should be provision for sewage disposal

 There should be provision for future growth in the farm.

In this article we will tell you complete method to cultivate paddy stra
mushroom, oyster mushroom and button mushroom.

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 Types of Mushrooms

There is various type of edible mushroom available in the world but in

India mostly four type mushroom cultivated.

 White Button Mushroom

 Portobello Mushroom

 Dhingri (Oyster) Mushroom

 Paddy Straw Mushroom

Among all above White Button mushroom has high demand the most
popular hence most farmer select this variety for commercially mushroom
farming.

Average price for white button mushroom is in between 50-100 rs per kg

this depends upon market demand. White Button mushroom is mostly
consumed mostly hotels and metro cities.

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Indoor oyster mushroom farming

Oyster mushroom farming is rapidly expanding around many parts of the

world. Increased consciousness of its nutritional value and increased
market demand is making mushroom cultivation one of the most sought
businesses among the farming communities.[citation needed] Oyster
mushroom is grown in substrate that comprises sterilized wheat, paddy
straw and even used coffee grounds[14] while it does not require much
space compared to other crops. Its per unit production and profit extracted
is comparatively higher than other crops.[15] Oyster mushrooms can also
be grown indoors from kits, most commonly in the form of a box
containing growing medium with spores.

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Conclusion
The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button
mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most
often applied to those fungi (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes) that
have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae, sing. lamella)
on the underside of the cap. "Mushroom" also describes a variety of
other gilled fungi, with or without stems, therefore the term is used to
describe the fleshy fruiting bodies of some Ascomycota. These gills
produce microscopic spores that help the fungus spread across the
ground or its occupant surface.

Forms deviating from the standard morphology usually have more

specific names, such as "bolete", "puffball", "stinkhorn", and "morel",
and gilled mushrooms themselves are often called "agarics" in
reference to their similarity to Agaricus or their order Agaricales. By
extension, the term "mushroom" can also refer to either the entire
fungus when in culture, the thallus (called mycelium) of species
forming the fruiting bodies called mushrooms, or the species itself.

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References

 "Definition of TOADSTOOL". Retrieved 26 June 2022.

 Harding, Patrick (2008). Mushroom Miscellany. HarperCollins. p.

149. ISBN 978-0-00-728464-1.

 Ramsbottom J. (1954). Mushrooms & Toadstools: a study of the

activities of fungi. London: Collins.

 Hay, William Deslisle (1887). An Elementary Text-Book of British

Fungi. London, S. Sonnenschein, Lowrey. pp. 6–7.

 Arora, David (1986). Mushrooms Demystified, A Comprehensive

Guide to the Fleshy Fungi. Ten Speed Press. pp. 1–3. ISBN 978-0-
89815-169-5.

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