FOUNDER- CHAIRMAN

                  MUSHROOM FOUNDATION OF INDIA

Former Professor and Head Department of Plant Pathology, Centre for Plant Protection Studies,  Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore  641003     TAMIL NADU   INDI

Born in the city of Coimbatore during the year 1953 and completed B.Sc.(Agriculture) during 1976, M.Sc.(Ag) during 1978 and Ph.D. during 1983. 

Specialized in Mushroom cultivation, Horticultural Pathology and Biological Control

Served as Scheme Officer, All India Coordinated Research Project on Mushroom (AICRP Mushroom), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi.​​

Contributions in the field of Mushroom cultivation:

Started working in 1979 as Research Associate in Mushroom Unit of department of Plant Pathology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University as Research Associate. Continued to work on mushroom cultivation and in training programmes for several years at various centres and retired as Scheme Officer of All India Coordinated Research Project on Mushroom during October 2013.

Worked as Scheme Officer of AICRP- Mushroom for about 10  years

Launched Mushroom Foundation of India (MFI) to serve farming community in mushroom cultivation. .

1. Developed cultivation techniques for grey oyster mushroom Pleurotus sajor-caju during 1979.

2.  Developed cultivation techniques (Circular compact bed) for Paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea). 

3. Developed cultivation techniques for new mushroom specie viz., Tricholoma lobayense

4. Developed cultivation techniques for new mushroom specie viz., Tricholoma giganteum

5. Developed cultivation techniques for new mushroom specie viz., Agrocybe aegerita 

6. Developed cultivation techniques for new mushroom specie viz., Auricularia polytricha

7. Established Mushroom Theme Park in the Department of Plant Pathology, TNAU, Coimbatore.

8. Established a well equipped Mushroom Research and Training Centre in the Dept. of Plant Pathology, TNAU, Coimbatore 

9. Released a new milky mushroom Co3 (Tricholoma giganteum) for commercial cultivation.

10. Open Field cultivation technique for oyster mushroom in Bamboo plantations was developed for the first time in India using Bamboo leaves as a substrate. Surveys were conducted in Tamil Nadu and identified two new species of oyster mushrooms viz.,Pleurotus eous- rosesus and P.platypus. The new species were compared with the existing mushroom species. Open field cultivation was successfully demonstrated using Poly bag method of cultivation. 

11. Surveyed Mushroom Farms and Spawn Laboratories in all districts of Tamil Nadu for identifying the problems in the cultivation and marketing, and proper Farm Advisory Services were given to the mushroom growers.

POST GRADUATE RESEARCH (THESES) ON MUSHROOM CULTURE 

1) Anandh,K.2001.Identification of new edible mushroom species for commercial cultivation. Ph.D. thesis. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 3. P. 134.  

2) Venkatesh kumar, D. 2001.Use of botanicals against fungal diseases of competitor weed moulds infecting oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida Favose.), M.Sc.(Ag) thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 3. p. 99. 

3) Sangeetha, G. 2002. Exploring the possibilities of increasing the yield potential of Paddy Straw Mushroom (Volvariella volvacea [(Bull.ex.Fr.) Sing.] M.Sc.(Ag) thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 3. P..99 

4) Suresh kumar, G. 2006. Identification of new edible mushrooms in different ecosystems of Nilgiris. M.Sc.(Forestry) thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 3. P. 109

5) Karthikayini, B.2009. Strainal variation studies on Mushroom species of Tricholoma and Calocybe.  M.Sc.(Ag) thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 3. p. 73

6) Sakthivel, K. 2010. Standardization of cultivation techniques for Black poplar mushroom- Agrocybe aegerita in Tamil Nadu. M.Sc.(Ag) thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 3. p. 84

7) Veeralakshmi, S. 2011.Standardization of cultivation techniques for wood ear mushroom (Auricularia polytricha (Mont.) Sacc. in Tamil Nadu. M.Sc.(Ag) thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 3 p.