Adoption of recommended mushroom prodtion technology by the farmers in Jammu regions

Abstract

Mushroom refers to the fruit body of a fungus. It is neither a plant nor animal. On a dry weight basis, it contains 55 percent carbohydrates, 02 percent of proteins, 02 percent fats and the rest minerals and vitamins. The greatest advantages of this venture is the fact that mushrooms have capacity to convert nutritionally valueless substances like wheat or rice straw into nutritional delicacies. These are also an excellent source of Vitamin B1, B2 and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, iron and copper. They are recommended as alternative source of proteins by FAO. Mushroom cultivation is very remunerative and plays an important role in increasing incomes, self employed and job opportunities in rural areas. The present study is an endeavourer to study the various occupational, social and economic motivational factors responsible for adoption of improved mushroom production technology. The result of the study reveals that major occupational motivation factor was that there influenced by the village Sarpanch was the main social motivational factor for adoption of mushroom cultivation. The major constraints faced by the respondents were lack of pre cooling and storage facilities (89.75%) and inadequate knowledge about growing mushroom (82.76%).