Fungi are an important link in the food webs of all ecosystems. They have immense potential and comprise a myriad of useful bioactive compounds. Fungi feature in a wide range of diverse processes and applications in modern agriculture, the food science industry, and the pharmaceutical industry.
In the food and drink arena, the role of fungi is historically important in the form of mushrooms and in fermented foods as yeasts for baking and brewing. These roles are supplemented by the use of fungal food processing enzymes and additives, and more recently in the development of protein-based foodstuffs from fungi. Additionally, they are used in the formulation of biofertilizers and biopesticides used as biostimulants and bioprotectants of crops. The practical use of newer techniques such as genetic recombination and robotics have revolutionized the modem agricultural biotechnology industry, and have created an enormous range of possible further applications of fungal products.
Myco-materials created from mycelia (the root-like parts of fungi) are gaining attention as a sustainable alternative for a wide range of materials. They are being used as insulation, sustainable packaging, foam inserts, and even "eco-leather." In fact, mycelium bricks are pound-for-pound stronger than concrete. In addition, medicinal uses of fungal species have been historically recorded as important agents in the pharmaceutical sciences. The potential for myco-materials seems limitless.
The field of mycology and its application has become an increasingly important component in the education of industrial biotechnology. This book on applied mycology provides information helpful for developing entrepreneurial opportunities with fungi. This volume explains both the basic science and the applications of mycology and bio-resource technology with special emphasis on entrepreneurial applications. It offers a complete, one-stop resource for those interested in microbiology, food and agricultural science, medical mycology, and for those in industrial biotechnology.

About the Author: Amritesh Chandra SHUKLA is Professor of Botany at University of Lucknow, India. His research has mainly focused on exploration and conservation of fungal diversity and its bioprospection as well as unraveling the mechanism of action of potential antifungal plant products/ biomolecules as pharmaceuticals and herbal drugs. He has developed some commercial antifungal formulations and granted USA, UK, Japanese and Indian patents. He has credited eleven books, and published his research findings in various internationally reputed journals including seminars in cancer biology. For his scientific accomplishments, he received numerous awards and recognition, including the prestigious Fellow of the Linnean Society of London in the year 2021. He has also served the international scientific community well as Visiting Professor- University of Mauritius; and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. He has been in the expert panel of the Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia; and in the Research Degrees and Scholarships Committee, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.