Progress 05/01/21 to 04/30/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Underserved Farmers and Forestland owners (UFFOs, Students, Extension agents and mushroom growers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project enabled PI to procure equipment and supplies for mycoculture and preparation of mushroom spawn for hands-on workshop training for our target audiences - under-served farmers and forest landowners (UFFOs). PI conducted experiential learning training for graduate students about indoor and outdoor mushroom cultivation. PI and Students had an opportunity to attend and had an oral presentation at professional conferences. One graduate student received the third award in the oral presentation at one of the professional conferences. PI had the opportunity to participate and present in different virtual conferences about medicinal mushroom production and consumption of mushrooms as a healthy food addition to a balanced diet.. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Prepared fact sheets for mushroom workshops, field days, and posters presented at the conference. Dissemination was also through zoom meetings and conferences. PI prepared a YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMQzgGU-UmE) and submit online to be viewed by many under-served farmers and forest landowners (UFFOs) What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The project ended this year, and PI will submit a final. PI will prepare and submit another CBG proposal to NIFA. PI will continue promoting mushroom production to UFFLOs using equipment and materials procured through this project.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Popularizing mushroom cultivation and consumption was accomplished by recruiting and training under-served farmers and forest landowners (UFFOs) to incorporate outdoor mushrooms as companions with other specialty crops. Hands-on mushroom workshops to UFFLOs about Wine cap mushrooms (Stropharia rugosoannulata) cultivation on woodchips. Promotion of the almond mushroom (Agaricus subrufescens) as a companion outdoor mushroom grown together with green vegetables in backyard gardening by the UFFOs. Outreach Shiitake log mushroom workshops were at Greensville, Water Valley, and Petal, Mississippi. A shiitake (Lentinula edodes) logs mushroom demonstration site for training UFFLOs, and a rain harvest system for log mushroom irrigation was developed at Sheeplo Community Center in Petal, Mississippi. Additionally, PI conducted three virtual conferences about mushroom cultivation and consumption. One zoom conference during the Farm to Cafeteria Conference and two more zoom meetings organized by Mid-South Progressive Agriculture Group (https://www.facebook.com/MidSouthPAG) of Holly spring Ms. More than 260 under-served farmers and forest landowners (UFFOs) in Mississippi gained knowledge of mushroom cultivation and the health benefits of mushroom consumption. During the experiential learning, students learned to identify edible wild mushrooms.Agaricus aegerita,morels (Morchella esculenta), and variouschanterelle mushroom species were collected. Students gained knowledge about the wild-mushroom foray and cultivation ofAgaricus aegeritaon artificial media and the health benefits of mushroom consumption. Fungi culture knowledge gained by students includes mushroom spawn preparation, cultivation, drying, and pulverizing of mushroom powder.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Baffoe-Bonnie, A., Martin, D. T., and Mrema F. 2021. Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services Strategies during COVID-19 Lockdown. Agric. Environ. Lett. 2021;6: e20056. https://doi.org/10.1002/ael12.20056
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Robinson Keith, Mrema F., Hodges A. Lashunda, Kibet Leonard, and Acholonu D.W Alex. 2020. Intercropping system as Sustainable
Agriculture Practice in Southwest Mississippi. Journal of Mississippi Academy of Science, Vol 65, No. 1
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Stampley, D., Mrema, F., Chukwuma, F., and Kibet, L. 2021. Growing Agaricus subrufescens (Almond Mushroom) on Compost combined with hardwood wood chips. Journal of Mississippi Academy of Science, Vol 66, No. 3
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Stampley D., Mrema, F., Chukwuma, F., and Kibet, L. 2022. Sustainable integration of Specialty crops and outdoor cultivation of Almond (Agaricus subrufescens) mushrooms ARD Conference Atlanta
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Progress 05/01/17 to 04/30/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The Underserved Farmers and Forestland Owners (UFFOs), Extension educators, Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, High school students, Wild Mushroom Gatherers, Family Forest owners, and Mushroom growers and Foresters Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This extension project enabled capacity building in Agroforestry - forest farming. Fungi-culture Equipment procured by PI enabled experiential learning by graduate students and the results used for their MS thesis projects. Furthermore, students gained awareness of preparing mushroom spawn for hands-on mushroom workshops for UFFLOs and other extension services such as mushroom demonstration sites for training mushroom cultivation of mushrooms on hardwood waste logs acquired from Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) and timber harvesting in family forests. We have UFFLOs growing shiitake (Lentinula edodes) on 1000 logs. This project made it possible for UFFLOs to produce indoor and outdoor mushrooms as a companion with specialty crops such as medicinal herbs. The project made it possible for students and PI to attend and conduct oral presentations at professional conferences. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Prepared fact sheets for mushroom workshops, mushroom demonstratin during field days, and posters presented at the conference. Dissemination was also done through zoom meetings and conferences. YouTube videos recorded during field days and submit online to be viewed by many under-served farmers and forest landowners (UFFOs) What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Popularization and promotion of mushroom production and consumption was a strategic approach to introduce and train UFFLOs on Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) as a forest management practice and utilization of acquired waste wood for mushroom production. Many UFFLOs gained fungi culture technology through hands-on shiitake and oyster mushroom cultivation workshops. This project recruited and trained UFFLOs, in nearly 20% (16) of Mississippi counties. Most of the UFFOs are aware of medicinal mushrooms and gained knowledge of mushrooms in Petal (Forrest), Greensville (Washington), Water Valley and Oakland (Yalobusha), Senatobia (Tate), Preston (Kemper), Starkville (Oktibbeha), McCool, (Attala), Holly spring (Marshall), Mound Bayou (Bolivar) and Madison (Rankin). Other UFFLOs also live in Jayess and Tylertown (Walthall), Louisville (Winston), Carthage (Leaker), Port Gibson (Claiborne), Meadville (Franklin), Magnolia, and McComb (Pike). The project enabled nearly 1,760 under-served farmers and forest landowners (UFFOs) in Mississippi to gain knowledge of fungi culture and awareness of the healthy benefits of mushroom consumption, including improving body immunity against chronic diseases. The number of trained audiences by this project surpassed the planned target of 600 by more the 194%, suggesting positive responsiveness of UFFOs and willingness to gain knowledge of mushroom health benefits and fungi culture awareness in Mississippi. The positive response to the hands-on mushroom workshop by the UFFOs was mainly enhanced by our collaborators, The Agricultural cooperative groups in Mississippi. Among our collaborators includes Winston County Self Help Cooperative (WCSHC) https://www.facebook.com/WCSHC1985/, Mid-South Progressive Agricultural Group (MSPAG) https://www.facebook.com/MidSouthPAG/, Unlimited Community Agricultural Group (UCAG), and Mississippi Minority Farmers Alliance Inc. (MMF). PI was successful in promoting Food insecurity and mushroom consumption awareness in High schools, including Jefferson High School in Fayette, MS, Warren Central High School in Vicksburg MS, and Piney Wood Schools). More than 220 students gained knowledge of the benefits of mushroom consumption and the role of mushrooms in food security. UFFLOs gained the knowledge to diversify specialty crops through sustainable production of medicinal plants such asMoringa oleifera,Aloe vera, Rosemary, Lemon grass, various mints, and other medicinal herbs. Many UFFLOs can incorporate outdoor medicinal mushrooms as companion crops in their backyard gardens.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Mrema, F. 2019. Shiitake mushroom Training workshop. The Alcorn State University School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences Fall 2019 issue of Agriculture Magazine. Pages 24-29.
https://issuu.com/asusaas/docs/agriculturemagfebfinal
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
McNerney, W., and Mrema, F. 2018. Growing Shiitake Mushrooms On Sawdust Blocks. https://www.alcorn.edu/uploaded/files/oaa/schools/agappliedsci/Growing_Shiitake_Mushrooms.pdf
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Progress 05/01/20 to 04/30/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Under-served Farmers and Forestland Owners (UFFOs), Extension educators, Students and Family forest owners and Mushroom growers Changes/Problems:Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, the evaluation of Neem Biopesticide at the mushroom farms and demonstration sites suggested in the previous report was not accomplished. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1) PI participated in a zoom conference organized by the Mid-South Progressive Agricultural Group (MSPAG)cooperative ofHolly Springs, MS, and presented a talk on mushroom production. 2) PI participated and presented mushroom production in the 129th Annual Farmers zoom virtual conference event - Session A, organized by Tuskegee University AL. 3) PI participated in Zoom meeting with Professional Arborist Association of Mississippi (PAAM) and presented about; "Growing Shiitake Mushrooms on Fresh cut Hardwoods" How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Zoom virtual conference events, mushroom farm visits, and telephone contacts with UFFLOs were employed together with a training PowerPoint video YouTube uploaded on Alcorn State University - SAAS Facebook. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Outreach educational training will continue to more UFFOs through zoom virtual conference events. We are going to promote a new outdoor medicinal mushroom (A. subrufescens) production to UFFOs. We will train students on how to identify two wild edible mushrooms as health food to minimize food insecurity in southwest MS. These mushrooms are Chanterelle mushrooms and morels (Morchella esculenta). These mushrooms are all widely spread around the Alcorn State University campus and in family forests.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, outreach educational training on Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) to our targeted audience: the Underserved Farmers and Forestland Owners (UFFOs), was through virtual meetings and mushroom farm visits. Three virtual zoom conferences held targeting UFFOs on waste wood utilization from TSI to cultivate shiitake log mushroom and utilizing low-cost irrigation methods. Additionally, two outdoor hands-on mushroom cultivation training were conducted in Liberty and Magee, Mississippi. UFFOs in Liberty MS understand the technology of using woodchips to cultivate outdoor mushrooms - wine cap (Stropharia rugosoannulata)on their back yard gardens. Magee MS, UFFOs learned the technology of using wheat straws mixed with spent coffee as substrates for cultivation of white oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) and grey oyster (Pleurotus pulmonarius). More than 105 UFFOs gained knowledge of TSI, cutting wood waste from mixed hardwood forests, utilizing waste wood for shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes), and wine cap and farm residues for oyster mushrooms production. In preparation to introduce new outdoor mushroom cultivation in southwest MS, a graduate student working with PI participated in mycology experiential learning and gained knowledge and skills in preparation of fungi medium, isolation, characterization of fungi, preparation of mushroom spawn, and indoor mushroom cultivation. The student evaluated hardwood woodchips mixed with compost and different supplements as substrates for growing Almond mushrooms (Agaricus subrufescens). The results will be presented, at the coming Mississippi academy of sciences (MAS) conference. During this COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, we managed to prepare a new PowerPoint presentation video on "How to Grow Shiitake Mushrooms Using Hardwood Waste" and uploaded it to the School of Agriculture and Applied Science (SAAS) Facebook (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMQzgGU-UmE). The presentation was a strategy to reach many of our target audiences, the UFFOs, to create awareness of TSI, utilization of waste wood for mushroom production, and benefits of mushroom consumption as a healthy food addition to a balanced diet.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Mrema, F., Chukwuma, F., Nyatta, T., Kibet, L. 2020. Promoting Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation in Mississippi. Forestry Source. Volume 25(2): 14-15
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Progress 05/01/19 to 04/30/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The Underserved Farmers and Forestland Owners (UFFOs), Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, High school students, and Wild Mushroom Gatherers. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?PI attended the Professional Arborist Association of Mississippi (PAAM) conference on Urban Wood Utilization, January 23 - 24 2020 Biloxi, Ms. More than 80 professionals attended the conference and gained the knowledge on: "Growing Shiitake and Other Mushrooms on waste Wood". Many professionals want to grow mushrooms from urban waste wood An Undergraduate student attended The National Environmental Justice Conference on November 13 - 16 2019. The title for the oral presentation was "Afro-Ecology: A Tool for Curbing Food Insecurity in Southwest Mississippi". She also presented a Poster and worn the first poster award. PI attended The American Phytopathological Society (APS) Annual Conference. August 3 - 7 2019 Cleveland Ohio How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?More Fact sheets, pamphlets, and mushroom information will be reviewed and disseminated to the mushroom growers. We are planning to introduce an online outreach education to be able to train the UFFOs during this COVID-19 Lockdown and in the future. A training video will be prepared to address the mushroom problems observed. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Outreach educational training will be extended to more UFFOs and High school students. We are going to continue with the evaluation Neem Biopesticide in collaboration with the mushroom grower in the managing the mushroom demonstration farms. The purpose of the studies will be similar, to deterTriplaxspp. populations from mushrooms and the results will be submitted for publication. PI will write another grant proposal intended to solve some of the issues observed during the implementation of the present project.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Outreach educational training emphasized more on popularizing mushroom cultivation and consumption and timber stand improvement (TSI) to our targeted audience: the underserved farmers and forestland owners (UFFO) communities in Mississippi. Outreach training involved UFFOs on the utilization of farm residues and wood waste substrates from farms, hardwood thinning, and timber harvesting for mushroom production. More than 348 UFFOs gained the knowledge of TSI, cutting wood waste from mixed hardwood in family forests and utilizing waste wood for shiitake mushroom production. UFFOs understand the technology of using farm residues for the cultivation of white oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) and grey oyster (Pleurotus pulmonarius). The hands-on mushroom workshop locations were in six (6) counties including Preston (Kemper), Starkville (Oktibbeha), Holly spring (Marshal), Oakland (Yalobusha), Mound Bayou (Bolivar) and Madison (Rankin). UFFOs comprehend the rain harvesting systems technology from three mushroom demonstration farms at Water Valley, MS -Yalobusha, Liberty, MS - Amite, and Jayess -Walthall county. Food insecurity and mushroom consumption awareness were promoted in three High schools including Jefferson High School Fayette MS, Warren Central High School Vicksburg MS, and Piney Wood Schools). More than 220 students are aware of the benefits of mushroom consumption and the role of mushrooms in food security. Shiitake mushrooms growing on hardwood logs were demonstrated to the students emphasizing that mushrooms as a source of fresh food can be grown from the backyards. Nearly 1760 new viewers of the shiitake mushroom video on Alcorn State University Agriculture face-book are aware of the benefits of medicinal mushroom consumption. Mushroom producers understand that they can marketing mushrooms at the Farmers Market, Restaurants in Hattiesburg, MS and New Orleans LA,
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Mhotsha, O. Iseguede, F., Ayers, C., Mrema, F., Baffoe-Bonnie, A., Chukwuma, and Kibet, L. Enhancing Sustainable Specialty Crop Production in Southwest Mississippi. The 77th Professional Agricultural Workers Conference (PAAWC) December 08-10, 2019, Tuskegee, AL
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Progress 05/01/18 to 04/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Under-served small-scale Farmers and Forestland Owners (UFFOs) and students Changes/Problems:Mississippi Natural Products Association (MNPA) is no longer in business and has stopped producing and selling sawdust blocks to UFFOs. Alcorn State University marketing specialist Co-PI and Director of Mississippi Small Farm and Agribusiness Center (MSFAC), Dr. E. Myles has been guiding and training mushroom growers about food safety, packing, and marketing produced mushrooms. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Attended professional conferences. Created awareness on benefits of mushroom consumption and trained 425 UFFOs how to grow shiitakes on wood waste and oyster mushrooms on agricultural farm residuals. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Workshop participants in Specialty mushroom production were provided with fact sheets, pamphlets, and mushroom information. Mushroom growers were interviewed and reports wereon Newspaper. We prepared video clips and submitted on Alcorn State University agriculture facebook. We sent the website links to UFFOs What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue to train more UFFOs to grow mushrooms on wood waste and agricultural farmresidues as value-added products. Train more farmers on rain harvesting technology and use rainwater to sprinkle mushroom logs. Two unknown mycophagous beetle bugs have been reported by UFFLOs to damage and consume shiitake mushrooms. This is a new challenge to mushroom growers in Mississippi, not reported before. We will collaborate with entomology colleagues to investigate how to identify and control the bugs from damaging the mushrooms.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The project trained under-served farmers and forestland owners (UFFOs) on timber stand improvement (TSI) and added more specialty mushroom growers and consumers in Mississippi. The direct educational outreach training through hands-on mushroom workshops trained more than 425 UFFOs, while indirect education through videos reached more than 3,300 viewers. The educational outreach training was emphasized more on TSI, shiitake cultivation and awareness of the benefits of mushroom consumption. Additionally, hands-on straw oyster mushroom production was introduced into the mushroom workshops. Shiitake mushroom hand-on workshops was expanded tosix more counties including Walthall, Yalobusha, Tate, Bolivar and Amite and Oktibbeha counties. Two more mushroom demonstration sites were developed in collaboration with UFFOs mushroom growers. One demonstration sites at Water Valley (Yalobusha) has 200 shiitake mushroom logs in production and 20 (15 lbs.) wheat straw mushroom bags in production. Apart from mushrooms, the farmer is growing specialty medicinal plants, marking his demonstration site an excellent outdoor classroom for many UFFOs communities. At present, the farmer is selling oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus pulmonarius and P. ostreatus) at farmers market Oxford Mississippi. The other mushroom demonstration site is located in Jayess (Walthall), and has 100 shiitake mushroom logs in production. At present UFFOs cultivate shiitake mushrooms from 5 to1000 logs. Mushroom production and consumption outreach training in schools continued and more than seventy summer school students at Piney Wood Schools participated in mushroom biology and benefits of mushroom consumption training. The UFFOs mushroom producers market mushrooms through the Farmers Market, Restaurants in Hattiesburg, MS and New Orleans LA and to individual wholesale buyers. It is anticipated that engaging the UFFOs in mushroom production will eventually improve the land retentions in Mississippi.
Publications
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Abugri, DA., Ayariga, JA., Tiimob, BJ., Yedjou, CG., Mrema, F., Witola, WH. 2019. Medicinal Mushrooms as Novel Sources for New Antiparasitic Drug Development. In Agrawal, DC. and Dhansekaran, M (Eds.) Medicinal Mushrooms. ISBN: 978-981-13-6381-8 (Chapter 9)
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Progress 05/01/17 to 04/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Under-served small-scale Farmersand Forestland Owners (UFFOs) Changes/Problems:None What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Created awareness on benefits of mushroom consumption and trained 550 underserved-farmers and forestland owners to grow shiitake mushrooms on wood waste from timber harvesting and lesser-known tree species wood such as Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Participants in Specialty mushroom production were provided with fact sheets, pamphlets, and mushroom information on Newspaper. Prepared Youtube video and provided the websites links to UFFOs What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Will continue to train more Underserved small-scale farmers and forestland owner (UFFOs) to grow mushrooms on wood waste and farm residues as a value added from salvaged woods from timber harvesting. Train more farmers on rain harvesting and irrigating mushroom logs with clean water. Continue with outreach training in schools on the benefit of mushroom consumption. Continue to train students on mushroom biology.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This project has increased the numbers of mushroom growers in Mississippi. Many small farmers and forestland owners (> 550) have gained knowledge of mushroom cultivation and are aware of the benefits of mushroom consumption. Hands-on shiitake mushroom workshops have been conducted in more than ten counties in MS. (Winston, Leaker, Rankin, Marshall, Franklin, Pike, Oktibbeha, Attala, Kemper and Washington counties). At present UFFOs produce shiitake mushrooms from 5 to 1000 logs. Popularizing mushroom production and consumption outreach was also conducted in Schools. Students at Piney Wood Schools are participating in mushroom biology and growing mushrooms on sixty (60) logs. The UFFOs mushroom producers are marketing mushrooms through the Up-In-Farm - Mississippi, Sunrise Fresh Produce - MS, Farmers' market, Restaurant and to individual buyers. More people are engaged in shiitake mushroom cultivation and incubate the mushroom-logs in the forested land. Engaging the UFFLOs in mushroom production will improve the land retentions in Mississippi.
Publications
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