The recent global trend has spotlighted the cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum, commonly known as Magical Mushroom for business and livelihood. This medicinal marvel is grown on wood logs and sawdust and has tremendous potential for application in healthcare, manufacturing, and beyond. Despite its widespread use worldwide, in India, the capabilities of this fungus are just beginning to be explored.
Understanding Magical Mushrooms
Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom that has been used for centuries for curing diseases like diabetes, cancer, inflammation, ulcers, bacterial, and skin infections. Recognized as one of the most significant medicinal mushrooms worldwide, it is revered for its chemical constituents that demonstrate numerous medicinal properties. This has led to its popular nicknames such as “mushroom of immortality”, “celestial herb” and “auspicious herb”. It is also globally known as “red reishi mushroom”.
The history of this mushroom’s consumption can be traced back 5,000 years to China. It is also mentioned in historical and medical records from Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and India. A unique characteristic of Ganoderma lucidum is that it grows exclusively on wood or wood-based substrates. Preferring warm and humid climates, it is mostly found thriving in mixed forests of subtropical to temperate regions.
Chemical Composition and Medical Uses
Ganoderma lucidum boasts of more than 400 chemical constituents, including triterpenes, polysaccharides, nucleotides, alkaloids, steroids, amino acids, fatty acids, and phenols. All of these have shown medicinal properties such as immunomodulatory, anti-hepatitis, anti-tumour, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), anti-malarial, hypoglycaemic, and anti-inflammatory properties.
In addition to medicinal applications, Ganoderma lucidum also serves as a base material for manufacturing products such as tea, coffee, energy supplements, health boosters, beverages, baked goods, and anti-ageing cosmetics.
Exploring Cultivation in India
The mass production of Ganoderma lucidum is currently limited to countries like China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and the USA. However, the growing awareness and popularity of this mushroom have led to increased demand internationally, nudging several countries including India towards larger-scale production.
India, primarily an agriculture-driven economy, has excellent potential for cultivating Magical Mushroom. It can be grown indoors, protecting it from extreme weather conditions, man-wildlife conflicts, harsh topography, and poor soil conditions. At present, its cultivation in India is mostly confined to laboratory research but there have been some successful attempts at active cultivation by various Indian organizations.
Economic Potential of Ganoderma Lucidum
Ganoderma lucidum’s cultivation on wood logs (locally referred to as billets) presents a significant opportunity for livelihood generation despite associated challenges. The dried fruiting bodies or raw powder of Ganoderma lucidum can fetch around Rs 4,000-5000 per kilogram in the market. This showcases the enormous potential it holds for transforming the agrarian economy of India if cultivated on a larger scale.
