Large scale cultivation of macrofungi is possible with fermentation, using easily accessible lignocellulosic agricultural residues applying economical methods to generate substantial biomass, food and biofuels. Bioconversion of lignocellulosic wastes by macrofungi generates value-added fungal nutritional biomass for humans and livestock. Besides commercial cultivation techniques, other topics covered in Advances in Macrofungi: Industrial Avenues and Prospects include: the healing potential of mushrooms, industrial opportunities, mycelium-based products, forest wild mushrooms and industrial applications of white rot fungi. This book reviews the industrial applications and uses of macrofungi. It encourages students and researchers to explore non-conventional sources of nutrition as well as bioactive metabolites to serve as nutraceuticals. It emphasizes the potential of macrofungi as a source of bioactive compounds to remedy human lifestyle diseases especially cancers and cardiovascular ailments along with immunostimulation potential by Cordyceps. This book emphasizes the role of on mushrooms as a source of cosmeceuticals, flavors, essence, scents and perfumes.

Advances in Macrofungi: Diversity, Ecology and Biotechnology discusses the diversity and ecology of edible, toxic, medicinal and mycorrhizal macrofungi; the impact of ectomycorrhizal fungi in terrestrial ecosystems, ectomycorrhizal complex in Boreal forests and commercial application of Pseudotsuga in silviculture; the nutritional evaluation and cultivation of edible wild mushrooms; the diversity of novel metabolites of macrofungi useful in food, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries; mushrooms as tool for eco-friendly synthesis of nanoparticles and proteomics of edible and medicinal mushrooms. In addition, it covers experimental designs, methodological approaches, biogeochemical cycles, conceptual/hypothetical models and life history strategies, linking mycorrhizal diversity to plant performance, chemotaxonomy, role of mycorrhizae in forestry and macrofungi in nanotechnology. It provides a valuable resource to graduate, post-graduate and researchers (in botany, microbiology, ecology, biotechnology, forestry, life sciences and environmental sciences) to understand the diversity, ecology, therapeutic value, mutualistic associations and biotechnological potential of macrofungi.

Large scale cultivation of macrofungi is possible with fermentation, using easily accessible lignocellulosic agricultural residues utilising economical methods to generate substantial biomass, food and biofuels. Bioconversion of lignocellulosic wastes by macrofungi generates value-added fungal nutritional biomass for humans and livestock. Besides commercial cultivation techniques, other topics covered include healing potential of mushrooms, industrial opportunities, mycelium-based products, forest wild mushrooms and industrial applications of white rot fungi. This book addresses the various applications of macrofungi. It encourages readers to explore non-conventional sources of nutrition as well as bioactive metabolites to serve as nutraceuticals. The volume emphasizes the significance of macrofungi as source of bioactive compounds to remedy human lifestyle diseases especially cancers and cardiovascular ailments along with immunostimulation potential by Cordyceps. This book also emphasises on the role of mushrooms as a source of cosmeceuticals, source of flavors, essence, scents and perfumes.

Large scale cultivation of macrofungi is possible with fermentation, using easily accessible lignocellulosic agricultural residues applying economical methods to generate substantial biomass, food and biofuels. Bioconversion of lignocellulosic wastes by macrofungi generates value-added fungal nutritional biomass for humans and livestock. Besides commercial cultivation techniques, other topics covered in Advances in Macrofungi: Industrial Avenues and Prospects include: the healing potential of mushrooms, industrial opportunities, mycelium-based products, forest wild mushrooms and industrial applications of white rot fungi. This book reviews the industrial applications and uses of macrofungi. It encourages students and researchers to explore non-conventional sources of nutrition as well as bioactive metabolites to serve as nutraceuticals. It emphasizes the potential of macrofungi as a source of bioactive compounds to remedy human lifestyle diseases especially cancers and cardiovascular ailments along with immunostimulation potential by Cordyceps. This book emphasizes the role of on mushrooms as a source of cosmeceuticals, flavors, essence, scents and perfumes.

The discipline of mycology is a fascinating one. It has a major influence on the nutrition, health and environmental safety of mankind. Cultivation of edible and non-edible mushrooms for nutrition, pharmaceuticals, biopolymers and biocomposites will open up new avenues in research as well as the more profitable utilization of agricultural residues. Cultivation and of domesticated and wild mushrooms poses a challenge to fulfill the needs of human/animal nutrition and utilization of agrowastes tangibly. Cultivation of ectomycorrhizal fungi benefits nutrition as well as plant protection. Macrofungi are the major source of several metabolites of nutritional, health, agricultural and industrial significance (e.g., antioxidants, antimicrobials and pigments). Macrofungal bio composites provide alternatives to the use of animal-derived or plant-derived products (e.g., nanopapers, leather and packaging materials). They serve a dual role in providing nutrition and pharmaceuticals (nutraceuticals) to humans as well as livestock. Macrofungi interact with insects symbiotically (e.g., Termitomyces with termites) and provide delicious nutraceutical product. They also control insects by infecting and producing pharmaceutically and metabolite-rich products (e.g., Cordyceps attacks insects). Macrofungi have a strong potential to control pathogens like nematodes in soil (bioremediation). They are also useful as biofertilizers to meet the needs of plant nutrition. The book outlines current advances in macrofungal technology. It highlights different facets of macrofungal cultivation, bioactive compounds, biocomposites, nutraceuticals, benefits with interaction with insects, application as biofertilizers and ecosystem services like bioremediation.

Macrofungi have significant importance in human health, particularly in nutrition, medicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and industries. They occupy a variety of ecosystems such as terrestrial (agricultural lands, forests and deserts), freshwater (bogs and marshes) and maritime (mangroves and coastal sand dunes) habitats. Their ecosystem services like nutrition (humans and animals), medicinal pursuits (antibiotics and pharmaceuticals) and bioremediation (degradation of xenobiotics and insect control) potential are dependent on their diversity and ecological conditions. Macrofungal ecology serves as the basis for nutraceutical values, agricultural benefits, plant productivity, environmental protection and industrially valued biocomposites. This book focuses on various aspects of macrofungal distribution in diverse habitats, participation in organic matter decomposition, ectomycorrhizal associations and participation in biogeochemical cycles. This book reviews the current developments in macrofungal ecology in different habitats and their benefits. Due to the topics dealt with on macrofungal diversity, distribution, dynamics, lifestyles, ecosystem or substrate preferences and ecosystem services, this book is valuable to mycologists, botanists, zoologists, ecologists, foresters, geneticists, agronomists and field biologists.

This book illustrates the multiple roles of fungi in everyday life. Fungi are the large group of organisms with tremendous diversity and economic importance. Their ability to produce commercially efficient useful products makes them the vulnerable sustainable tool for the future generation. This book describes a systems approach and provides a means to share the latest developments and advances about the benefits of fungi including their wide application, traditional uses, modern practices, along with designing of strategies to harness their potential. The chapters are organized with data, providing information related to different sustainable aspects of fungi in agriculture, its cultivation and conservation strategies, industrial and environmental utilization, advanced bioconversion technologies and modern biotechnological interventions. Updated information and current opinion related to its application for sustainable agriculture, environment, and industries as futuristic tools have been presented and discussed in different chapters. The book also elucidates a comprehensive yet a representative description of the challenges associated with the sustained application of fungi to achieve the goals of sustainability.