Cordyceps militaris Cultivation (Paperback)

It gives us immense pleasure to present the another book on cordyceps titled "Cordyceps militaris Cultivation: A Practical Guide". Since the publication of the first book on cordyceps, scientific research, cultivation technologies, controlled-environment agriculture, and commercial applications of Cordyceps militaris have advanced considerably. At the same time, interest among researchers, students, entrepreneurs, farmers, and biotechnology professionals has grown rapidly across the world.

The overwhelming response received from readers of the first book on cordyceps encouraged us to prepare this thoroughly revised and expanded edition. Rather than merely updating existing chapters, this edition has been substantially rewritten with new scientific information, improved cultivation techniques, enhanced laboratory protocols, practical troubleshooting guides, quality management systems, commercialisation strategies, and recent developments in biotechnology.

This book has been designed as a practical handbook rather than only a theoretical text. Every chapter has been prepared with the objective of helping readers understand not only how to cultivate Cordyceps militaris but also why each step is scientifically important. Special emphasis has been placed on laboratory hygiene, aseptic techniques, substrate preparation, environmental management, contamination control, post-harvest handling, value addition, entrepreneurship, and quality assurance.

It also introduces several new features, including detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), laboratory record formats, troubleshooting charts, business planning, quality control systems, commercialisation strategies, and future prospects of the industry. These additions make the book useful not only for beginners but also for researchers, commercial growers, universities, biotechnology laboratories, training institutes, and entrepreneurs.

While every effort has been made to present scientifically accurate and practical information, mushroom cultivation is influenced by numerous variables such as strain characteristics, environmental conditions, equipment quality, and cultivation practices. Therefore, readers are encouraged to conduct small-scale trials before undertaking commercial production and to continue learning through research and practical experience.

We sincerely hope that this book will contribute to the advancement of medicinal mushroom cultivation and inspire more individuals to participate in this exciting field of biotechnology.

Pradip Kumar Ray

The author retired from his long-standing career in banking, with his final post being Chief Manager (Offing) at the Purshura Branch of State Bank of India (SBI). Throughout his career, he served in various roles such as Branch Manager, HR Manager, System Manager etc, gaining a wealth of experience across multiple banking functions. During this time, he also nurtured a hobby of discovering magic and writing, which led to the publication of his first book, "Prerana" in 2013. His written works have been featured in several prominent newspapers and magazines, and his expertise in magic earned him a mention in the Magicians' World Directory.

In terms of academic qualifications, the author holds a BSc (Honours in Physics), MSc (Computer Science), and a Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA). He is a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)(Global) and a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Banking (CAIIB). Additionally, he has completed various certification courses in photo, video, and audio editing, animation, hardware, cobol programming, "Praggya" Hindi courses, and a certification course from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

Post-retirement, the author has remained active by collaborating with different academies as a subject-matter expert in banking. He also runs a YouTube channel, Facebook page, website, and blog, where he continues to engage his audience. Additionally, the author contributes to stock photography, writes articles, and publishes his own books. To date, he has authored over 125 books, many of which are available through national and international online platforms.