Nutritive Value and Cultivation of Pleurotus pulmonarius an Edible Mushroom from Nagaland, India

The natural occurrence of the edible basidiomycete, Pleurotus pulmonarius is reported for the first time in Nagaland state of India. The mushroom was collected on the dead logs from Puliebezie forest of Kohima. This mushroom is being consumed and sold in local market by the ethnic people of the area. Keeping in view the nutritional value and market demand, cultivation of this species was attempted on paddy straw and the analysis for protein, carbohydrate and fiber contents was also investigated for the cultivated fruit-bodies and results revealed the protein content 37.63%, fat 1.93%, carbohydrate 43.40% and the crude fiber content 4.12%.