The Department of Agriculture in Thailand is developing new varieties of abalone mushrooms, with the goal of finding species that are easier to cultivate and more profitable for farmers. The NBTC Mushroom Research and Development Group has successfully selected a variety called "Abalone 4," which has a higher yield than the original species and is similar in appearance to cream or gray-brown mushrooms with fan-shaped, thick flowers and a firm, crunchy flesh. These mushrooms are grown in plastic bags using similar processes to other mushroom cultivation methods. The developed mushroom cultures have been transferred to farmers and interested individuals, and the resulting abalone mushrooms are selling for about 100 baht per kg.