94
6.1 Overview of Rice-Straw Mushroom (RSM)
Mushroom is considered an important food to address food and nutrition security
and human health (Ishara et al. 2018; Cuesta and Castro-Rios 2017; Feeney et al.
2014a) and climate change adaptation issues (Gellerman 2018; Langston 2014).
Volvariella volvacea (Fig. 6.1), also known as the straw mushroom or rice-straw
mushroom (RSM), is one species of edible mushroom cultivated throughout East
and Southeast Asia (Sudha et al. 2008).
RSM production adds value to rice production and increases the income of the
poor farmers in developing countries (Imtiaj and Rahman 2008; Shakil et al. 2014;
Zhang et al. 2014).
Among more than 38,000 known mushroom species, such as Agaricus bisporus, Lentinus edodes, Flammulna velutipis, Auricularia polytricha, etc., RSM is
one of the most common mushrooms cultivated (Walde et al. 2006) and ranks
third among important mushrooms due to its delicious taste (Ramkumar et al.
2012; Thiribhuvanamala et al. 2012), as well as its short growing time compared
to other species (Rajapakse 2011). In terms of production, RSM ranks sixth among
edible mushrooms, accounting for about 5–6% of world production (Ahlawat
et al. 2011).
RSM is known as a healthy food (Belewu and Belewu 2005; Feeney et al. 2014b;
USITC 2010). It has high protein, potassium, and phosphorus contents (Ahlawat
and Tewari 2007) while being salt-free and low in alkalinity, fat, and cholesterol.
Mushroom also contains selenium (Solovyev et al. 2018) and niacin (Ahlawat and
Tewari 2007; Eguchi et al. 2015), which are two essential compounds in the immune
system and the thyroid that have a role in cancer prevention (Hobbs 1995). Its fiber
content is important for physiological functions in the gastrointestinal tract (Manzi
et al. 2001). In addition, RSM has significant antimicrobial activity (Chandra and
Chaubey 2017). It also provides good sources of polypeptide, terpene, and steroid
(Shwetha and Sudha 2012) and phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, phenolic
Fig. 6.1 Volvariella
volvacea (Bull.; Fr.) Singer
is an edible mushroom also
known as the straw
mushroom and, for our
purposes, the rice-straw
mushroom (RSM)
L. V. Thuc et al.
6.1 Overview of Rice-Straw Mushroom (RSM)
Mushroom is considered an important food to address food and nutrition security
and human health (Ishara et al. 2018; Cuesta and Castro-Rios 2017; Feeney et al.
2014a) and climate change adaptation issues (Gellerman 2018; Langston 2014).
Volvariella volvacea (Fig. 6.1), also known as the straw mushroom or rice-straw
mushroom (RSM), is one species of edible mushroom cultivated throughout East
and Southeast Asia (Sudha et al. 2008).
RSM production adds value to rice production and increases the income of the
poor farmers in developing countries (Imtiaj and Rahman 2008; Shakil et al. 2014;
Zhang et al. 2014).
Among more than 38,000 known mushroom species, such as Agaricus bisporus, Lentinus edodes, Flammulna velutipis, Auricularia polytricha, etc., RSM is
one of the most common mushrooms cultivated (Walde et al. 2006) and ranks
third among important mushrooms due to its delicious taste (Ramkumar et al.
2012; Thiribhuvanamala et al. 2012), as well as its short growing time compared
to other species (Rajapakse 2011). In terms of production, RSM ranks sixth among
edible mushrooms, accounting for about 5–6% of world production (Ahlawat
et al. 2011).
RSM is known as a healthy food (Belewu and Belewu 2005; Feeney et al. 2014b;
USITC 2010). It has high protein, potassium, and phosphorus contents (Ahlawat
and Tewari 2007) while being salt-free and low in alkalinity, fat, and cholesterol.
Mushroom also contains selenium (Solovyev et al. 2018) and niacin (Ahlawat and
Tewari 2007; Eguchi et al. 2015), which are two essential compounds in the immune
system and the thyroid that have a role in cancer prevention (Hobbs 1995). Its fiber
content is important for physiological functions in the gastrointestinal tract (Manzi
et al. 2001). In addition, RSM has significant antimicrobial activity (Chandra and
Chaubey 2017). It also provides good sources of polypeptide, terpene, and steroid
(Shwetha and Sudha 2012) and phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, phenolic
Fig. 6.1 Volvariella
volvacea (Bull.; Fr.) Singer
is an edible mushroom also
known as the straw
mushroom and, for our
purposes, the rice-straw
mushroom (RSM)
L. V. Thuc et al.