Recently, the interest in mushroom consumption has been growing, since their taste and low calorific value are appreciated, but also due to their nutritional value. In determining the usefulness of mushrooms in the human diet, it is important to consider the conditions of their occurrence to perform the assessment of bioaccumulation of minerals. The aim of the study was: (a) to determine the content of selected macronutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg, Na) in fruiting bodies of Boletus edulis, Imleria badia, Leccinum scabrum and the soils, (b) to determine their bioaccumulation potential taking into account the habitat conditions, and (c) an attempt to estimate their role in covering the requirement for macronutrients of the human organism. The research material was obtained in the NW of Poland: Uznam and Wolin, the Drawa Plain and the Ińsko Lakeland. In the soil, we determined the content of organic matter, pH, salinity and the content of absorbable and general forms of macronutrients. The content of macronutrients in mushrooms was also determined. Chemical analyses were performed using the generally accepted test methods. The study showed that in NW Poland, B. edulis grew on the acidic soils of Arenosols, and I. badia and L. scabrum grew on Podzols. The uptake of K, Mg and Ca by the tested mushrooms was positively, and P and Na negatively correlated with the content of these elements in the soil. The acidity of the soil affected the uptake of K and Mg by mushrooms. There was no effect of the amount of organic matter in the soil noticed on the content of macronutrients (except sodium) in mushrooms. Among the studied macronutrients, none of the mushrooms accumulated Ca, while P and K were generally accumulated in the highest amounts, regardless of the species. Each of the other elements was usually accumulated at a similar level in the fruiting bodies of the species we studied. The exception was I. badia, which accumulated higher amounts of Mg compared to B. edulis and L. scabrum. Mushrooms can enrich the diet with some macronutrients, especially in P and K.

Morphological analyses of three glomoid spore-producing fungi suggested that two of them were undescribed species of Glomeraceae (phylum Glomeromycota), and the third differed slightly from Dominikia glomerocarpica and Epigeocarpum crypticum, recently described in Glomeraceae. The first two fungi originated from the Mediterranean Sea sand dunes of the Peloponnese, Greece, and the third was originally found in a tree plantation in Yokohama City, Japan. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the 45S nuc rDNA region and the RPB1 gene showed that (i) the three fungi belonged to Glomeraceae; (ii) the first two represented a new genus, here described as Complexispora gen. nov. with C. multistratosa sp. nov. and C. mediterranea sp. nov. and (iii) the third enlarged the monospecific genus Epigeocarpum, as E. japonicum sp. nov.

The paper presents the results of morphological studies, as well as comparisons and phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the 45S (= 18S-ITS-28S) nuc rDNA region and the rpb1 gene (when available) of four arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) of the phylum Glomeromycota. These fungi were (i) an informally named isolate 449, suspected of being an undescribed species of the genus Diversispora, and (ii) three Corymbiglomus species in the family Diversisporaceae. The studies confirmed the novelty of isolate 449 in Diversispora and showed that Corymbiglomus contains only C. corymbiforme, while C. globiferum and C. pacificum should be transferred to a separate genus sister to Corymbiglomus. Consequently, isolate 449 was described as Diversispora conicasp. nov., C. globiferum, and C. pacificum were placed in Paracorymbiglomusgen. nov. and renamed P. globiferumcomb. nov. and P. pacificumcomb. nov.

Three new species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of the genus Diversispora (phylum Glomeromycota) were described based on their morphology and molecular phylogeny. The phylogeny was inferred from the analyses of the partial 45S rDNA sequences (18S-ITS-28S) and the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb1) gene. These species were associated in the field with plants colonizing maritime sand dunes of the Baltic Sea in Poland and formed mycorrhiza in single-species cultures.

This article presents the results of morphological studies, as well as comparisons and phylogenetic analyzes of sequences of four arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF, phylum Glomeromycota): Dominikia indica, Dominikia indica strain 211, Isolate 517, and Isolate 524. Dominikia indica strain 211 was previously characterized only by sequences of the 45S nuc rDNA region (= 18S, partial, ITS-1-5.8S-ITS2, 28S, partial) and the rpb1 gene (without any morphological data) that were deposited in GenBank under the incorrect name “Dominikia indica strain 211”. Its 45S sequences differed from the original D. indica sequences and, consequently, resulted in erroneous phylogenetic classification of this species. Isolate 517 and Isolate 524 slightly differed in morphology from Macrodominikia compressa (formerly D. compressa) and Microkamienskia perpusilla (formerly Kamienskia perpusilla), respectively. Microkamienskia perpusilla was originally found in a maritime dune site of Italy in 2009 and not yet reported from any other habitat in the world. Our sequence comparisons and analyses showed that D. indica represents a new genus, here created under the name Delicatisporagen. nov. with De. indicacomb. nov., and Dominikia indica strain 211 is a new species, described as Dominikia paraminutasp. nov. These analyses also indicated that Isolate 517 is conspecific to M. compressa and confirmed the correctness of the transfer of D. compressa by other AMF researchers to Macrodominikia gen. nov. with M. compressa comb. nov. Morphological studies of our M. compressa specimens grown in culture showed that the original description of this species is incomplete and, therefore, the description was emended. Phylogenetic analyses of Isolate 524 proved its conspecificity to Mk. perpusilla and thus revealed its second site of occurrence, i.e., the coastal dunes of the Hel Peninsula in northern Poland.

Although there has been an increase in the cultivation of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) worldwide for several years now, the availability of suitable soils for this species remains a problem. Highbush blueberry is a plant that requires acidic soils (pH 3.8–5.5), which are well aerated and have a stable level of groundwater and high humus content. In the present study, substances such as urea phosphate fertilizer, sulfur, sulfuric acid, and phosphogypsum were used to acidify three soils: peat, loamy sand, and loamy silt. The study aimed to lower the pH of the tested soils and optimize this parameter to cultivate highbush blueberry. The resulting changes in pH, content of macro- and micro-elements, and enzymatic activity were evaluated. Acidifying substances mitigated peat and loamy sand’s reaction to highbush blueberry requirements, while the reaction of loamy silt was changed only slightly, which made this soil unsuitable for plant cultivation. Sulfur dust acidified the examined soils rapidly and to the highest degree, followed by urea phosphate and phosphogypsum, while the weakest acidification was achieved with sulfuric acid solutions. The salt concentration of the soil was increased the most by the highest dose of phosphogypsum, which indicated that it could not be used to acidify soil for the cultivation of highbush blueberry. Among the acidifying substances, only urea phosphate showed a stimulating effect on the soils’ enzymatic activity, whereas others did not significantly affect or decrease this parameter.