𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞

…𝑫𝑵𝑨 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕-𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔

By Sonam Choden

The National Mushroom Center (NMC), with financial support of Nu. 7,095,964 from the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC), has launched a project aimed at domesticating high-value wild edible mushrooms in the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) area. Scheduled to run from July 2025 to June 2026, the project focuses on improving research infrastructure, promoting sustainable cultivation, conserving biodiversity, and mitigating human-wildlife conflict.

“Central to the project is the renovation of an old piggery shed located at Wangchutaba into a modern research facility designed for mushroom cultivation trials,” said Tshering Wangmo, Mycodiversity Program Head at NMC. The facility will be equipped with advanced laboratory instruments to enable stringent quality control and real-time monitoring of essential growth parameters such as humidity and temperature, thereby ensuring the success of pure culture and domestication trials.

According to her, the GMC area, with its varied altitudinal range, is well suited for a wide range of wild edible mushroom species. However, comprehensive foraging surveys and mycodiversity assessments are currently lacking. In light of the region’s strategic importance and rapid urban development plans, the project prioritizes a detailed inventory to document local mushroom species, with a focus on distinguishing edible varieties from inedible ones. This effort will help identify species of ecological and economic significance, allowing for their conservation through controlled cultivation and reducing the risk of habitat loss due to development.

Another significant part of the project involves testing the use of locally available agricultural waste such as rice straw and sawdust as substrates for mushroom cultivation. “These materials offer cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable alternatives to traditional wood logs, whose harvesting places significant pressure on forests,” said Tshering. She explained that by using these residues, the project supports forest conservation while encouraging sustainable production methods.

The project also incorporates DNA barcoding and other molecular techniques to ensure accurate species identification, verification of pure strains, and the development of a traceable culture collection. “DNA barcoding and other molecular techniques are integral to the project’s methodology, allowing accurate species identification, verification of pure strains, and maintenance of a stable and traceable culture collection,” she explained. Although molecular analysis is currently outsourced to laboratories outside Bhutan, there are plans to collaborate with research institutions to build local capacity and reduce reliance on external facilities.

To avoid potential ecological risks, the domestication efforts will focus exclusively on fungal strains that are native and regionally adapted to the GMC forests. The introduction of non-native species will not be considered, in order to protect indigenous fungal ecosystems.

Community engagement is a key component of the project. It will cover seven Gewogs- Senggye, Umling, Gakiling, Chhuzanggang, Serzhong, Gelegphu, and Tareythang- with the aim of training around 350 community members through workshops, educational materials, and hands-on demonstrations. “We plan to reach around 350 community members across these Gewogs through training, educational materials, and practical demonstrations,” Tshering noted. “Our aim is to promote safe harvesting, domestication techniques, and support biodiversity-friendly livelihoods.”

She highlighted that awareness regarding mushroom safety and the benefits of sustainable harvesting and cultivation varies across communities. While traditional knowledge plays a vital role, there have been instances where it has led to poisoning incidents. “Awareness about mushroom safety, sustainable harvesting, and cultivation benefits currently varies among local residents, with some relying heavily on traditional knowledge, which has occasionally resulted in poisoning incidents,” she added.

To address this concern, the project will offer targeted training sessions and educational campaigns focused on safe harvesting practices and techniques to encourage the adoption of domestication methods. The outreach strategy will include group training sessions, poster campaigns, and capacity-building workshops for forest officials, who are expected to play a vital role in sharing knowledge with the wider community. This multi-pronged approach aims to maintain interest and encourage household-level adoption of mushroom cultivation practices.

While immediate economic returns are not expected during the initial phase, the upgraded research facility is expected to support in-depth cultivation trials and the development of a comprehensive mycodiversity report, which will be the first of its kind for the GMC area. In the long run, the project aims to support income generation for farmers by promoting high-potential mushroom varieties, reducing poisoning incidents, and helping to develop a local mushroom market.

Although mushroom cultivation and production have been largely concentrated in the western and central regions of the country- primarily due to easier market access and the perishable nature of mushrooms- there are now efforts to expand this focus. In the eastern region, for example, the project encourages the use of corn cobs as an alternative substrate for mushroom cultivation. This strategy aims to extend the benefits of mushroom farming beyond traditional zones and make cultivation more accessible in areas with suitable agro-waste resources.

The NMC’s mushroom domestication initiative, supported by the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation, integrates scientific research, ecological conservation, and community participation. It offers a structured approach to exploring Bhutan’s fungal biodiversity in a manner that contributes to both environmental preservation and the economic resilience of rural communities.