Riar, T. S.Manjot Singh2022-02-042022-02-042021Manjot Singh (2021). Training needs and problems of mushroom growers in Punjab (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810181697The study entitled “Training needs and problems of Mushroom Growers in Punjab” was undertaken to ascertain the training needs, problems and suggestions of the mushroom growers to mitigate such problems. Present study was carried out in the two districts i.e., Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana of Punjab state. The frame of mushroom growers of both districts was taken from Deputy Director Horticulture of respective districts, from which a random selection of 50 respondents from each district was made. Thus, in all total of 100 respondents had constituted the study. The data was collected with the help of a structured interview schedule by personally interviewing respondents. The study revealed that most of the respondents (48%) were fall in middle age group, 52% were educated upto matric level and Majority (68%) were living in a nuclear family. Most of (63%) the respondents had medium level of mass media exposure, 54% had medium level in extension activities, 56% of the respondents had medium level of scientific orientation and majority i.e. 57% had medium level of risk bearing capacity. The area of marketing, species and their characteristics and water management, environmental control, disease management had most extent of training needs as these aspects were ranked 1to 5 respectively in the study. On the other hand the area of harvesting/picking, Compost preparation, Nutrient management etc had got least ranks which shows that there aspects were had low extent of training needs. Problems of the mushroom growers were categorized as production, financial, marketing and transportation in which majority of the respondents reported the problems in preparation of compost, ventilation, lack of subsidies in mushroom cultivation, fluctuating markets prices and lack of transport infrastructure as the major constraints. The suggestions of the respondents to mitigate such problems were reported as online diagnose facilities, subsidies for mechanization, establishment of processing plants, fixed prize in the market and more research and development initiatives would be taken as the important suggestions of the mushroom growers.EnglishThesis