A Proposal on Establishment of World Mushroom Day

Edible macrofungi, also known as mushrooms, are a precious gift from nature. Historical records and archaeological evidence from various parts of the world indicate that humans have been consuming mushrooms since ancient times.

In recent times, driven by the development of modern biology and modern industrialization, the consumption of edible mushrooms by humans has reached an unprecedented high and extensive level, forming an innovative industry completely different from traditional planting.

The development of the edible mushroom industry increasingly affects ecological production of agriculture and citizen health, showing promising potential in a wide range of application scenarios.

Edible mushrooms ulteriorly integrate into the agricultural production system as a nonnegligible source of high-quality food, providing new approaches to meet the consumers' needs for diversified, nutritious, and healthy diets. Nowadays, Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus are broadly cultivated agricultural varieties worldwide. Edible mushrooms such as Lentinula edodes, Flammulina velutipes, Auricularia heimuer, Hypsizygus marmoreus are popular vegetables in East Asia, while healthy benefits of medicinal mushrooms such as Ganoderma lucidum are widely accepted. The production methods of edible mushrooms show an impact on human society equivalent to the "green revolution" in the history of crop production. The developing industry of edible mushrooms will provide more healthy food for global consumers, and mushrooms will gradually serve as indispensable new sources of human food. Promoting global development of the industry via popularizing cultivation technologies may become an effective strategy to solve food crisis, which enhances supply of edible mushrooms in areas with food shortage as well as helps supplementing dietary nutrients such as protein and vitamins among populations affected by hunger.

The production of edible mushrooms does not require a large amount of farmland or water consumption, allowing their cultivation particularly feasible in areas with limited water and land. Moreover, cultivation of edible mushrooms adopts a wide range of substrates, and has short production cycles while yielding high profits. Farmers, after short-term training or self-learning, can quickly master cultivation techniques and carry out production using surrounding resources and family environments. In addition, the production of edible mushrooms does not require strong labor and hence is convenient for women to participate. The scientific literacy of farmers is also improved while learning the cultivation technology. The production of edible mushrooms plays an important role in improving the natural and social environment in rural areas, as well as promoting a smooth and rapid transition from traditional to modern agriculture. During the rural reform in China, edible mushroom production is a major access to alleviating poverty and promoting prosperity, which is particularly applicable to remote, mountainous and underdeveloped areas.

Many agricultural wastes such as rice or wheat straws, cottonseed husk, corn cob, and sawdust are used as substrates for mushroom cultivation, largely reducing environmental burden caused by burning and discarding of agronomic residue. Meanwhile, a large amount of edible fruiting bodies (mushrooms) and residues rich in organics are produced during the process. The remaining substrate residue after harvesting edible mushrooms contains many nutrients such as mycoprotein and vitamins, which could be applied as animal feed additives and plant fertilizers, as well as extracted for fungal active compounds. In an agrarian system dominated by agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture, edible mushroom production plays a crucial role in balancing by-product (such as straw) degradation and organic recycling, becoming an indispensable part of circular agriculture. The expansion of production scale of edible mushrooms guides the transformation of agricultural mode from resource consumption to resource recycling, making significant contributions to promoting the sustainable agriculture. The global promotion and application of this production manner helps establish a new mode for green agriculture development, hence contributing to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Based on the continuous expansion of edible mushroom industry in modern society, which provides new and scalable solutions to poverty, uneven development, malnutrition, and environmental deterioration, I propose to establish a global "Mushroom Day" to attract more public attention, governmental support, and peer participation! Edible mushrooms will make greater contributions to humans!

TAN, Qi

Chair

World Society for Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products

Email address: syj0@saas.sh.cn

Notes:

The establishment of World Mushroom Day requires governments from three or more countries to propose to FAO. Based on the proposals, FAO organizes experts to evaluate and submit a motion for voting by the United Nations after considering it feasible.