Hands-on Training on Spawn Production and Oyster Mushroom Business Farming at Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam, Sindh
Dr. Uzma Sitara, SSO, FQSRI, PARC-SARC shared her expertise in spawn production and various techniques for cultivation of oyster mushrooms as Training Resource Person during a two-day hands-on training organized by Department of Plant Protection, Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam, Sindh from November 1-2, 2023. The Participants including progressive farmers, NGOs, research professionals, and members of academia who were actively engaged in different activities, including substrate preparations (wheat straw and sawdust), employing both chemical and non-chemical treatments, as well as tasks such as tissue culture, autoclaving, inoculation, spawn preparation, growth room management, and mushroom harvesting. The sessions also covered efficient packing and storage practices, crucial for minimizing post-harvest losses and ensuring pest-free mushroom production. The question and discussion segment allowed participants to inquire about various aspects of mushroom production and marketing with satisfactory responses to their queries. Participants committed to applying their newfound knowledge, actively contributing to the advancement of oyster mushroom farming, and pledged to participate in future training sessions across different locations in Sindh provinces. The primary objective of the training was to raise awareness about recent technological advancements and explore ways to generate income using the resources available to the participants. The organizers appreciated all participants, management and resource person of SAU, Tando Jam and PARC-SARC for making the event successful and desired active collaboration in future too. In recognition of their contributions and accomplishments, resource person (Dr. Uzma Sitara, SSO, FQSRI, PARC-SARC), organizers (Professor Dr. Manzoor Ali Abro, Dean Faculty of Crop Protection, Prof. Dr. Abdul Mubeen Lodhi, Prof. Dr. Imtiaz Nizamani, Chairman, and Prof. Dr. Rehana Naz Syed (organizer of the training program Department of Plant Protection, SAU Tando Jam and participants were presented with certificates and shields respectively.