Following the visionary directions and personal initiative of the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor (HVC), Prof. Nazeer Ahmad Ganai, the Faculty of Agriculture (FoA) at Wadura, SKUAST-K, has achieved significant milestones in the cultivation of Gucchi (Morella esculenta) and King Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii).
The program, which is being spearheaded directly by the HVC, has received strong encouragement from the Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture, Mr. J.A. Dar, who has shown a keen interest in these specific fields of research, recognizing their potential to transform the rural economy of Jammu and Kashmir. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Breakthrough in Gucchi (Morel) Cultivation
Historically limited to wild collection in Himalayan forests, the cultivation of the highly prized Gucchi mushroom has remained a global challenge. Under the Hpn’ble VC’s leadership, a specialized team led by Dr. Vikas Gupta (Scientist Incharge Mushroom, Division of Plant Pathology) has successfully laid out trials to replicate the natural habitat of Morchella.
Supportive environment provided by Dean Prof. Shakeel Ahmad Mir
He Stated that: The efforts, driven by the Hon’ble VC’s strategic roadmap and the Minister’s support for innovative research, aim to: Boost Farmers’ Income: Shifting from wild harvesting to organized cultivation.
and Agri-Entrepreneurship: Creating new business avenues for the youth. He futher stated that these milestones are Protecting biodiversity by reducing the pressure on forest ecosystems
Pertinent to mention here that Director Research Prof. Haroon R. Naik, Director Extension Prof. Rehana Habib Kant, , and Head of Plant Pathology Dr. Tanveer A. Wani, is now refining protocols for full technology transfer to local farmers. as the SKUAST-K Research and Extension aims to transfer the new milestones to Local Farmer Community to double the Income of Farming Community
Further, the Hon’bl Minister’s and Vice Chancellor’s goal of agricultural diversification, the university is standardizing the cultivation of the King Oyster mushroom. Prized for its meaty texture and long shelf life, this species is being popularized under controlled conditions to ensure year-round production and high-income opportunities for agri-entrepreneurs.
The successful standardization of these cultivation techniques marks a major step toward sustainable and high-value mushroom production in the region.
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