Atul KumarPanwar, Megha2019-07-292019-07-292019-06http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810117559Iron deficiency is one of the leading risk factors for disability and death worldwide, affecting an estimated 2 billion people. Nutritional iron deficiency arises when physiological requirements cannot be met by consuming monotonous plant-based diets. Targeted iron supplementation, iron fortification of foods, or both, can control iron deficiency in populations. Studies show that iron fortification can be an effective strategy against nutritional iron deficiency. The present study was carried out to evaluate different concentrations (0, 10, 25 and 50% in culture media and 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% in spawned compost) of iron sulphide nanoparticles on growth, nutritional status and iron content of Agaricus bisporus. The mycelium growth rate was seen maximal at the concentration of 10% iron sulphide nanoparticles. Growth parameters like pileus diameter and stipe length were found to be maximal at the concentration of 25% iron sulphide nanoparticles. However, stipe diameter was maximal at 100% concentration of treatment. At the lower concentration of nanoparticles improvement in economic yield was seen. Total carbohydrate content was higher at lower concentration and flavonoid content was higher in all treatments. However, treatment of nanoparticles decreased the buffer soluble proteins and phenol content. All the treatments of nanoparticles on Agaricus bisporus led to the increased iron as well as zinc content in fruiting bodies. Thus, iron sulphide nanoparticles have potential to improve growth, nutritional status and iron content of Agaricus bisporus at specified concentration to offset the problem of iron malnutrition.ennullThesis