Journal of Agricultural Technology 2013 Vol.

9(2): 403-416
Available online
Journal of Agricultural http://www.ijat-aatsea.com
Technology 2013, Vol. 9(2): 403-416
ISSN 1686-9141

Indigenous knowledge of ethnic tribes for utilization of wild

mushrooms as food and medicine in similipal biosphere reserve,
Odisha, India

Sachan, S.K.S., Patra, J.K. and Thatoi, H.N.*

Department of Biotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha,

India

Sachan, S.K.S., Patra, J.K. and Thatoi, H.N. (2013) Indigenous knowledge of ethnic tribes for
utilization of wild mushrooms as food and medicine in similipal biosphere reserve, Odisha,
India. Journal of Agricultural Technology 9(2):403-416.

Indigenous knowledge of tribal peoples for utilization of wild mushrooms is quite different in
Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Odisha, India. Traditionally the tribes lived in and subsisted on
the forests, but with increasing loss of forest areas, integration into mainstream society and
urbanization, they are rapidly losing their traditional knowledge and culture. An effort has been
made to record some of this precious indigenous knowledge through questionnaire survey,
visits and interviews which were conducted with selected indigenous tribal communities in
Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) of Odisha, India. The knowledge about the wild edible
mushroom flora of Similipal Biosphere Reserve and their uses by the indigenous tribes for food
and medicine were documented. The study revealed that more than 10 enthnic groups (Santal,
Kolha, Munda, Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan, Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho and Mankdias) of SBR were
found to be mycophilic and have extensive traditional mycological knowledge. In total 14
species of fleshy mushrooms belongs to 8 genera and 6 families were collected through field
visits and identified by phenotypic and microscopic characters. All these mushrooms are being
used by the tribes as source of food as well as ethnomedicinal purposes including cure for
malnutrition, weakness and other nutritional disorders etc. The study highlights the diversity
and ethnomedicinal potential of some indigenous mushrooms from SBR. Further studies in
these mushrooms may be undertaken to discover active compounds for their possible
pharmaceutical applications.

Key words: Wild mushroom, ethnic tribes, ethnomedicine, Similipal Biosphere Reserve

Introduction

Mushrooms have a long association with mankind and provide profound

biological and economical benefit. The wild mushrooms have been traditionally
consumed by man with delicacy probably, for their taste and pleasing flavor.
They have rich nutritional value with high content of proteins, vitamins,

*
Corresponding author: H.N. Thatoi; e-mail: hn_thatoi@rediffmail.com
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minerals, fibers, trace elements and low/no calories and cholesterol (Wani et
al., 2010). Many of them have been used in folk medicine for thousands of
years. Among the wild edible mushrooms, some are neutralceuticals (natural
food having potential value in maintaining good health and boosting immune
system of the human body) while others can produce potent nutriceuticals
(compounds that have medicinal and nutritional attributes and are consumed as
medicines in the form of capsules or tablets but not as food) (Ribeiro et al.,
2007). In the developed countries, mushrooms have become one of the most
important products of all the horticulture crops. The production of mushrooms
is increasing everywhere in the world and now a days cultivated mushrooms are
available all the year round and they are used in enormous quantities to serve
with all kinds of table dishes (Baruah, 2008).
Wild mushrooms are a valuable non-timber forest resources used by
mycophilic societies and their use has been documented in many countries
around the world (Jones and Whalley, 1994, Roberto et al., 2005). They are
sold in traditional markets (Roberto et al., 2005) or commercially exploited as
food (Pilz et al., 1999) or medicines (Chamberlain, 1996). Traditional
mycological knowledge of most Indian ethnic groups has proven to be
extensive and profound, consuming nearly 283 species of wild mushrooms out
of 2000 species recorded world over (Purkayastha and Chandra, 1985).
Ethnomycological aspects were dealt with by few workers in different parts of
India and world over (Harsh, et al., 1993, Bulakh, 2001, Adhikary et al., 2005).
Some of the ethnomycological reports from India include the wild edible
mushrooms from Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh of North East India (Sing
and Sing, 1993, Sing et al., 2002), Sibsagar district of Assam (Baruah et al.,
1971), Western Assam (Sarma et al., 2010) and Nagaland (Tanti et al., 2011).
Similipal Biosphere reserve (SBR) in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha
(India) is one of the tropical forest ecosystems rich in diversity of flora
including mushroom. Some of the ethnic tribe viz. Santal, Kolha, Munda,
Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan, Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho and Mankdias are residing in
the Similipal forests area (Panda et al., 2011). The origin and distribution of
ethnic castes are found to localize in particular zone or area. These ethnic
groups are the traditional collectors of the different mushrooms. The different
kinds of edible and non-poisonous mushrooms that are consumed by them vary
with locality and the tribes. Even the ethonomedicinal uses of the mushrooms
are also vary with tribes.
In the present investigation, survey was conducted and some indigenous
mushrooms was collected and identified through morphological and
microscopical studies for the documentation purpose. Further, the information
on indigenous and traditional knowledge regarding use of wild edible

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mushrooms for food as well as medicine purpose by few ethnic tribes of SBR
of Odisha was collected comprehensively through structured questionnaires in
consultations as no scientific database is available yet.

Materials and methods

Study area

The Similipal Biosphere Reserve (Figure 1) is in the central part of the

Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, eastern India (20°17’ to 22°34’N and 85°40’ to
87°10’E) covering an area of 5569 km2 which forms one of the mega
biodiversity zones of the country with a rich diversity of flora and fauna. The
landscape of Similipal comprises numerous rolling hills. The vegetation
comprises of tropical semi-evergreen forest, tropical moist deciduous forest,
dry deciduous hill forest, high level Sal forest, grass land and savannah. The
climate of the Similipal is tropical. Three distinct seasons are felt during the
year. They include the rainy season (mid June to mid October), winter (mid
October to February) and summer (March to mid June). The annual rainfall
ranges from 1200 mm to 2000 mm. The temperature ranges from 9.8°C to
33.5°C. The southern and western aspects are cooler and north-eastern aspects
are warmer. Periodic earth tremors, thunder storms during the rains and dust
storms in late May and early June are other characteristic features of Similipal.
There are 4 villages inside the core area, 61 villages in the buffer zone
and 1200 villages in the transitional zone of SBR with a population of about 4.5
lakhs. Here tribes occupy a big chunk of the population constituting 73% of the
total population; 53 communities both aboriginal and migrated are found in the
SBR (Naik, 1998). The dominated tribes of the SBR are Santal, Kolha, Munda,
Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan, Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho, Mankdias etc. (Panda et al.,
2011). Some of the tribes namely Khadia, Mankdias and Santals are still in the
primitive state of living. They are mainly dependent on agriculture for food and
also collect roots, tubers, leaves, flowers, fruits, and mushrooms as
supplementary food. Tribal people mostly inhabit the forest area and depend on
the forest resources for their livelihood.

Survey and sampling

Field visits were conducted and fleshy fungi were collected from
Similipal Biosphere Reserve area of Mayurbhanj, Odisha during May 2010 to
April 2011. Sample collection and survey was made in five different
forest areas adjacent to Lulung, Baripada (Salbani forest), Bangriposi,
Jashipur, Karanjia (Figure 1). The fleshy fungi were collected from
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different habitats such as meadows, decaying wood, rotting plant parts, termite
nests in the forest area. The site of mushroom collection and other related
information was ascertained from the villagers in the locality. During the
study, the information was collected on name of the mushroom, types of
mushroom (edible or poisonous) and uses of the mushrooms whether use as
food or ethonomedicine by tribals. In total, 60 peoples were interviewed,
among them 43 were men and 17 were women.

Fig. 1. Study area for collection of indigenous mushrooms and their information of
ethnomedicinal uses by ethnic tribes from SBR ( )

The photographs of collected mushroom sample were taken in the habitat

(Figure 2) and also the data of morphological characters such as habitat, shape,
size, color, spore print color etc. were recorded. Each of the collected samples
were wrapped in wax paper and brought to the laboratory for identification
purposes. The identification of each sample was done with the help of
standard manuals studying carefully different macroscopic and microscopic
characters (Largent et al., 1977; Bilgrami et al., 1979; Purkayastha and
Chandra, 1985). The samples were immediately brought to the camp for

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preservation. Further, the collected samples (fresh and dried) were preserved
in 4% formaldehyde and in paper or polythene bags respectively and numbered
(Atri and Saini, 2000). All the identified specimens were deposited in the
Herbarium of Department of Biotechnology, College of Engineering and
Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.

[A] Russula emetica [B] Russula delica

[C] Termitomyces eurrhizus [D] Termitomyces sp.

[E] Agaricus silvaticus [F] Agaricus sp.

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[G] Volvorella sp. [H] Lentinus sp.

[I] Pleurotus ostreatus [J] Pleurotus sp.

Fig. 2. Some wild edible mushrooms of Similipal Biosphere Reserve

Results and discussions

Mushroom survey in Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) of Odisha

revealed occurrences of wild edible fleshy mushrooms (fungi) are very rich.
During the investigation, a total of 14 species of fleshy mushrooms belong to 8
genera and 6 families were collected and identified based on their
morphological and microscopical characters (Table 1, 2 and Figure 2). The
mushrooms identified in the SBR in the present study are native to many parts
of India which were reported by some workers in the North Eastern Hills
(Verma et al., 1995, Singh et al., 2007, Tanti et al., 2011); North Western
Himalayas (Atri et al., 1997) and Kanyakumari district (Davidson et al., 2012).
The collected mushroom species were found to grow in different
substratums. Some mushrooms such as Russula emetic, Russula delica,
Termitomyces eurrhizus, Termitomyces sp., Agaricus silvaticus, Agaricus sp.,
Lycoperdon sp. were growing on soil while others like Lentinus sajor-caju,
Lentinus sp., Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus sp. and Calvatia gigantea were

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found on dead wood logs. Similarly, the substratums of Volvariella volvacea

and Volvariella sp. were decaying organic plant matter. In connection with the
substratums of different mushrooms, the Russula emetic and Russula delica
were abundantly found during the month of June to November. The
Termitomyces eurrhizus and Termitomyces sp. were moderately found in
between May to August and June to October respectively. The Agaricus
silvaticus was moderately found with the rare mushroom of Agaricus sp. during
June to September. The Volvariella volvacea was abundantly found throughout
the year whereas Volvariella sp. moderately found during May to December.
Lentinus sajor-caju and Lentinus sp. were abundantly found during July to
November whereas Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus sp. were moderately
found in the season May to September and June to November respectively. The
other mushrooms (Lycoperdon sp. and Calvatia gigantean) were rarely found
during the season June to September (Table 1).

Table 1. Wild edible mushrooms of SBR with their availability

Order Family Scientific name Host/Sub Populatio Period of Accession
stratum n Availability No.
June-November
Agaricales Russulacea Russula emetic Soil Abundant CETBT-05
(Fresh)
June-November
Russula delica Soil Abundant CETBT-06
(Fresh)
Tricholomata Termitomyces May-August
Soil Moderate CETBT-07
ceae eurrhizus (Fresh)
June-October
Termitomyces sp. Soil Moderate CETBT-08
(Fresh)
Agaricus July-September
Agaricaceae Soil Moderate CETBT-09
silvaticus (Fresh)
June-September
Agaricus sp. Soil Rare CETBT-10
(Fresh)
Decaying
Volvorella Throughout the
Volvariaceae paddy Abundant CETBT-11
volvacea year (Fresh)
straw
Decaying
May-December
Volvorella sp. paddy Moderate CETBT-12
(Fresh)
straw
Aphyllophor Lentinus sajor- Dead July-November
Polyporaceae Abundant CETBT-13
ales caju wood logs (Fresh)
Dead July-November
Lentinus sp. Abundant CETBT-14
wood logs (Fresh)
Pleurotus Dead May-September
Moderate CETBT-15
ostreatus wood logs (Fresh)
Dead June-November
Pleurotus sp. Moderate CETBT-16
wood logs (Fresh)
Lycorperdace June-September
Lycoperdales Lycoperdon sp. Soil Rare CETBT-17
ae (Fresh)
Calvatia Dead June-September
Rare CETBT-18
gigantea wood logs (Fresh)

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 Various reasons were found for the choice of mushrooms consumed by
tribals. The majority of mushrooms are consumed by tribals for their taste,
followed by their nutritional purposes, availability, medicinal purposes,
influence of neighbors and price affordability (Figure 3). Many of the edible
species like Russula emetic, Russula delica, Termitomyces eurrhizus,
Termitomyces sp., Agaricus silvaticus, Agaricus sp., Volvariella volvacea,
Volvariella sp., Lentinus sajor-caju, Lentinus sp., Pleurotus ostreatus,
Pleurotus sp. and Lycoperdon sp. were regularly collected by the tribal/local
people during the season not only for their own consumption but also for sale in
the nearby market.

Fig. 3. Reason for choice of mushrooms by ethnic tribes of SBR

The survey conducted in villages located inside SBR revealed that all
these mushroom species such as Russula emetic, Russula delica, Termitomyces
eurrhizus, Termitomyces sp., Agaricus silvaticus, Agaricus sp., Volvariella
volvacea, Volvariella sp., Lentinus sajor-caju, Lentinus sp., Pleurotus
ostreatus, Pleurotus sp., Lycoperdon sp., Calvatia gigantea are used by several
ethnic tribes like Santal, Kolha, Munda, Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan, Bathudi,
Kudumi, Ho, Mankdias living in this region for their food as well as
ethnomedicinal purposes including cure for malnutrition, weakness, other
nutritional disorder like diarrhea, high blood pressure, fever, asthama and
wound etc. (Table 2). Briefly, Russula delica is used to prevent malnutrition as
well as nutritional disorders. Termitomyces eurrhizus and Termitomyces sp. are
used to treat rheumatism, daiarrhoea and high blood pressure. Agaricus
silvaticus is used to lowering the high fever. Volvariella volvacea and
Volvariella sp. are used to lowering the high blood pressure. Lentinus sajor-

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caju and Lentinus sp. are used to cure cold and cough. Pleurotus ostreatus and
Pleurotus sp. are used to cure asthma and lowering high blood pressure.
Similarly, Lycoperdon sp. is used to cure wound. Some peoples reported that
mushrooms are seldom used in their local traditional medicine because
mushrooms are seasonal and are rare to come by. Those that incorporate
mushrooms in their traditional medicine usually preserved them during their
growing season through sun drying or smoke drying and powdered them for
future use.

Table 2. Morphological characteristics of the wild mushrooms

Mushroom Morphological characteristics
Species
Sporophores usually growing solitary or scattered on the ground in forest or in open
places. Pileus 4.0-8.0 cm in diameter, convex to campanulate when young, then
expanded, depressed when old, pink to red when young and pale red with age.
Russula Surface smooth and shining, slightly sticky when young, margin marked with
emetica streaks, finally somewhat sulcate. Gills whitish, some what crowded, short decurrent.
Stipe cylindrical or narrowed near the top, 4.0-7.0 cm long. 1.0-2.0 cm thick, white,
spongy but firm when young, fragile with age, solid without ring and volva.
Basidiospores white, echinulate, 7.5-10.0 μm.
Sporophores usually growing solitary or in groups growing in symbiotic association
with the roots of Shorea robusta. Pileus up to 15 cm in diameter, convex, some time
infundibuliform, dull white, some time with rust colored patches, surface dry, often
Russula delica
hairy when young, margin inrolled. Gills whitish, some what crowded, short
decurrent. Stipe up to 6.0 cm long, cylindrical some times attenuated at the base.
Surface glabrous. Flesh white, firm, no change on injury. Basidiospore 8.0-12.0x7.8
μm. Spore print white to creamish.
Sporophores usually growing solitary on termite soil or near the termite nests. Pileus
3.0-9.5 cm. in diameter, at first convex, later expanded with prominent umbo, scales
present on the surface, firm, margin regular, not incurved. Gills crowded, distinctly
formed, free to subadnate, pliable, white, and entire. Stipe central, usually long (up to
Termitomyces
20.0 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm thick), white, somewhat tough, solid above ground.
eurrhizus
Hollow below the soil, penetrating the soil to some distance, pseudorhiza long and
tapering, with persistent annalus, without volva. Basidia clavate, 4-spored, 22.9-
25.5x6.8-7.6 μm. Basidiospores hyaline, ellipsoid, thin walled 6.8-9.3x5.1-6.8 μm.
Spore print pink.
Spread of this fungus is quite striking; they are abundantly present in the grass field
or termite disused nests. Cap- 1.9 to 2.0 cm in diameter; umbonate, yellowish grey in
Termitomyces
the margin; olive in the centre; Stipe long-5.2 cm., more or less straight, white, a part
sp.
of it is inside the soil,nearly3.2 cm; basidia clavate, basidiospores 4 in number,
smooth, hyaline, ellipsoidal 6.5- 7 x 3-4 μm; spore print white or grey.
Sporophores grow on soil, stipitate, cap 2.9-8.75 cm. in diameter, campanulate at
Agaricus young stage, subumbonate at maturity; white, greysh brown at maturity; Gills disnict,
silvaticus crowded; stipe central, slightly narrow towards the apex, basidia 10.0-16.5 x2.9-
8.0μm; Cheilocystidia clavate; basidiospores 4.2-5.2 x2.9-3.5 μm; spore print brown.
Found scattered on pastures, lawns and on scattered manure. Pileus: 5-10 cm
diameter, convex in young, flattened in old fruit bodies. White to pale-brown, finely
Agaricus sp.
scaly surface, margin entire. Gills: prominent, crowded free, white in young, pink to
dark brown to blackish in older ones. Stipe: central, equal, 4-10 cm long, 1-2 cm

411
 thick, white to pale brown, annulate, annulus white membranous prominent. Basidia:
2 spored, spores brown, ellipsoid, 7x5.5 μm2. Spore print: sepia to brown.
Sporophores usually growing solitary or gregarious on rotten organic maters or rotten
paddy straw heaps; centrally stipitate. Pileus usually 5.0-12.0 cm in diameter, often
larger, campanulate at first, later becoming umbonate, usually grayish sepia but sepia
near the umbo as well at the margin, presence of distinct radial sepia colored streak
up to the middle of the pileus, soft and fatty to touch, margin sometimes split. Gills
Volvorella
crowded, distinctly formed, free, thin, flesh colored with reddish tinge at maturity.
volvacea
Stipe central, cylindrical, attenuated upward, 8.0-14.0 cm long, whitish, ending
below with a solid bulbous base, volva well developed and membranous with margin
free. Basidia clavate, tetrasterigmatic, 18.7-28.9x6.8-11.9 μm. Basidiospores oval to
ovoid, smooth, thin walled, 6.8-9.3x4.6-6.3 μm. Spore print salmon pink colored on
white paper. Pleurocystidia lanceolate to clavate, 47.6-62.9x13.6-18.7 μm.
Sporophores usually growing on rotten paddy straw, usually distinguished by its
absence of pigmentation. Pileus 8.0-10.0 cm in diameter, hemispherical, sub-fleshy.
Gills distant, white, ventricose. Stipe 6.0-8.0 cm longs, narrowed upward, 2.5-3.0 cm
Volvorella sp.
broad at the base, 0.8-1.0 cm at the top, solid, volva bilobed, brown, descending,
margin curved, smooth. Hymenophoral trama inverse. Basidiospores pink. Spore
print pink.
Sporophores growing in dead wood logs which are mostly composed; pileus 3.5-15.0
cm., margin of cap rolled in drying condition. The fruiting body colour pale white,
brown, extremely tough, stalk central in position, 4-8 cm long; 0.5-1.7 cm. in
Lentinus sajor-
diameter; eccentric, solid and cylindric, annulus present ,often lost at maturity volva
caju
absent; basidia clavate with 4-basidiospores; basidiospores-6.4-8.0x2.5-4.5 μm;
pleurocystidia absent; cylindrical, smooth, hyaline, thin walled, well developed,
solitary and stipitate.
Sporophores growing in dead wood logs which are mostly composed; pileus 4.0-12.0
cm; margin of cap rolled in drying condition. The fruiting body colour pale white,
extremely tough, stalk central in position, 5-8 cm long; 0.6-1.6 cm. in diameter;
Lentinus sp.
eccentric, solid and cylindric, annulus present ,often lost at maturity volva absent;
basidia clavate with 4-basidiospores; basidiospores-6.3-8.0x2.6-4.5 μm;
pleurocystidia absent; cylindrical, smooth, hyaline, thin walled and well developed.
Sporophores usually growing in clusters on dead tree trunk or branches and rarely on
living trees, usually hygrophanous, whitish, large, tough, when old. Pilus 8.0-15. Cm
or more broad, spathulate to kidney shaped, white, grey or some times yellowish
Pleurotus
after drying. Surface smooth, margin incurved. Gills crowded, decurrent, white,
ostreatus
yellow when dry, broad. Stipe eccentric or lateral, 1.0-3.0 cm long, 0.5-2.0 cm thick,
firm some times hairy at the base. Hymenophoral trama irregular, Basidia 4-spored,
30.0-38.0x6.0 μm. Basidiospores white, oblong, 7.0-10.0 μm long. Spore print lilac.
Sporophores solitary or groups occurring on decaying dead tree trunk or branches
usually hygrophanous, whitish, large, tough, when old. Pilus 10.0-15.0 cm or more
broad, spathulate to kidney shaped, white, grey. Surface smooth, margin incurved.
Pleurotus sp. Gills decurrent, white, yellow when dry, broad. Stipe eccentric or lateral, 1.0-3.0 cm
long, 0.5-2.0 cm thick. Hymenophoral trama irregular, Basidia 4-spored, 30.0-
38.0x6.0 μm. Basidiospores hyline, ellipsoid or cylindrical, 6.0-12.0 μm long. Spore
print whitish.
Fruiting body-1-4.5 cm across, solitary, globose or pyriform, mealy granules cover
the exoperidium, endoperidium greyish brown, smooth, whitish to greyish brown;
Lycoperdon sp.
angiocarpic, gleba white, soft, fleshy at young stage, brown cottony at later stage;
spores olive brown, spores 2.5-4.5μm. Edible when young.
Diameter of the sporophore 15-20 cm, exoperidium leathery, smooth, white for along
Calvatia period; gradually turning yellowish brown; spongy inside; at the top portion the
gigantea sporophore splits gleba greenish yellow; spores globose, 3.3-5.2μm in diameter;
spores ornamented sharp spines. Specimens at young stage are consumed.

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Table 3. Traditional uses of some wild edible mushrooms by ethnic tribes of

SBR
Mushroom Ethnic groups Traditional use and knowledge about wild Bio-prospective
Species mushrooms observation
Food Medicine
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Nutritious and delicious
Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan,
Russula emetica vegetable in their ND food item used by local
Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho,
food people/tribal
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Used in malnutrition, Nutritious and delicious
Russula delica Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan,
vegetable in their weakness and food item used by local
Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho,
food nutritional disorder people/tribal
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Rheumatism, Used in Rheumatism,
Termitomyces Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan,
vegetable in their diarrhoea, lowering diarrhoea, lowering high
eurrhizus Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho,
food high blood pressure blood pressure
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Rheumatism, Used in Rheumatism,
Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan,
Termitomyces sp. vegetable in their diarrhoea, lowering diarrhoea, lowering high
Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho,
food high blood pressure blood pressure
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as
Agaricus Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan,
vegetable in their Used in high fever ND
silvaticus Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho,
food
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Nutritious and delicious
Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan,
Agaricus sp. vegetable in their ND food item used by local
Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho,
food people/tribal
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Nutritious and delicious
Volvorella Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan, Lowering high blood
vegetable in their food item used by local
volvacea Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho, pressure
food people/tribal
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Nutritious and delicious
Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan, Lowering high blood
Volvorella sp. vegetable in their food item used by local
Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho, pressure
food people/tribal
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Play an important role in
Lentinus sajor- Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan,
vegetable in their Used in cold and cough the decomposition and
caju Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho,
food recycling of plant material
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Nutritious and delicious
Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan,
Lentinus sp. vegetable in their Used in cold and cough food item used by local
Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho,
food people/tribal
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Nutritious and delicious
Pleurotus Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan, Asthma and lowering
vegetable in their food item used by local
ostreatus Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho, high blood pressure
food people/tribal
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as Play an important role in
Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan, Asthma and lowering
Pleurotus sp. vegetable in their the decomposition and
Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho, high blood pressure
food recycling of plant material
Mankdias
Santal, Kolha, Munda, Nutritious and delicious
They used as
Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan, food item used by local
Lycoperdon sp. vegetable in their Used to cure wound
Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho, tribals and used to cure
food
Mankdias wounds
Santal, Kolha, Munda,
They used as
Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan,
Calvatia gigantea vegetable in their ND ND
Bathudi, Kudumi, Ho,
food
Mankdias
*ND-Not Determined

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 The mushrooms are very rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibers, trace
elements and low/no calories and cholesterol (Wani et al., 2010). These
compounds are referred to as “host defense potentiators”, which stimulate the
immune system of humans (Marimuthu et al., 2004). Nutritional contents of the
different species of mushrooms such as Agaricus, Russula, Lentinus, Pleurotus,
Volvariella, Calvatia etc. were studied by various researchers (Agrahar-
murugkar and Subbulakshmi, 2005, Pushpa and Purushothama, 2010,
Manikandan, 2011) in India. Agrahar-murugkar and Subbulakshmi (2005)
reported that Calvatia gigantean contains 27.3% protein, 1.0% fat, 6.3% ash,
22.0% fiber. According to Pushpa and Purushothama (2010), Agaricus
bisporous contains 41.06% protein, 28.38% carbohydrate, 2.12% fat, 7.01% ash
and 18.23% fiber and Russula delica contains 26.25% protein, 34.88%
carbohydrate, 5.38% fat, 17.92% ash and 15.42% fiber whereas Manikandan
(2011) revealed that 33.48% protein, 46.17% carbohydrate, 3.1% fats, 5.7% ash
and 20.9% fiber in the Agaricus bisporous. Similarly the nutritional
composition of other mushrooms such as Lentinus edodes (32.93% protein,
47.6% carbohydrate, 3.73% fat, 5.2% ash, 28.8% fiber), Pleurotus ostreatus
(30.4% protein, 57.6% carbohydrate, 2.2% fat, 9.8% ash, 8.7% fiber) and
Volvariella volvacea (37.5% protein, 54.8% carbohydrate, 2.6% fat, 1.1% ash,
5.5% fiber) were extensively studied by Manikandan (2011). It is clear from the
above study that wild mushrooms provide a rich addition to the diet of the tribal
peoples of SBR in the form of protein, vitamins, potassium, sodium,
phosphorus and iron with low fat content. As the normal diet of SBR tribals is
starch dominated, the mushrooms provide a balanced diet even though it is a
seasonal food. The tribal peoples of SBR possess wide knowledge about the
utilization of mushroom resources and lots of traditional knowledge. So far,
wild edible mushrooms available in SBR of Odisha have not been documented
and this is first report on the mushroom diversity and their uses by tribals of
this region.

Conclusion

The documentation and use of wild edible mushrooms play a vital role in
enrichment of the socio- economic life of the tribal peoples. Besides their
consumption, the use of mushrooms in folk medicines also paves the way for
the upbringing new industries. However, further studies need to be carried out
in order to assess the fungal diversity of Similipal Biosphere Reserve of Odisha
in a view to highlight their ethnomedicinal potentials for discovery of novel
compounds for their pharmaceutical applications.

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 Journal of Agricultural Technology 2013, Vol. 9(2): 403-416

Acknowledgement
We are grateful to the tribal peoples of Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Odisha for sharing
their traditional knowledge and acted as a guides and informants in the study. We would also
like to thank the Department of Forest, Government of Odisha and their officials for granting
permission to undertake the study. This study was funded by the Department of Science and
Technology, Govt. of Odisha in the form of a project is thankfully acknowledged.

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(Received 15 December 2012; accepted 28 Febuary 2013)

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