Panus lecomtei is emerging as an edible mushroom found worldwide and particularly in the northern hemisphere the world. The mushroom contains a substantial amount of useful nutritional and medicinal compounds. In the present study, we have examined a specimen of Panus lecomtei submitted in ICAR-Directorate of Mushroom Research gene bank. The specimen was examined for taxonomical characters using the classical and molecular tools. Attempts were made for cultivation of this mushroom under controlled conditions using the sawdust-based substrate. The specimen was characterized by its purplish fruiting body having coarse, rigid, dense hairs on cap, pubescent stipe and abundant metuloids. The molecular identification through conserved ITS region was done and the sequence was deposited in NCBI GenBank under accession no. MN332200. Nutritional profiling and biochemical analysis showed that the mushroom contained high carbohydrate but low fats. The mushroom showed the presence of phenolics, β-carotene and lycopene. The analysis also showed substantial antioxidant properties in the mushroom. The findings presented herein points out that Panus lecomtei can be used as a potential edible mushroom for diversification of mushroom production in India.

Shiitake [Lentinula edodes (Berk) Pegler] mushroom (SM) has evolved into an important specialty food owing to its high nutritional content and medicinal properties. Progress on genetic improvement is limited due to a narrow genetic base. Genetic divergence and variability in 19 strains of SM were analyzed. Cultivation trials were conducted under environmentally controlled conditions suitable for growing L. edodes on synthetic logs. Mahalanobis distance (D²) and cluster analysis using Tocher’s method was used to ascertain genetic diversity. Heritability, genetic advance and components of variances were determined through variability studies. Genotypes were clustered into three major groups based on yield and yield attributing traits. The strains took an average period of 85 days from incubation to first fruiting; DMRO-388s had the shortest duration of 50 days. Days from incubation to first fruiting exhibited high heritability (97.76%) with fair genetic advance (22.83) having substantial practical utility for selection in L. edodes. Cluster analysis for shiitake improvement predicted the most promising crosses would be between DMRO-23×DMRO-388s, DMRO-34×DMRO-623, and DMRO-35×DMRO-388s. The DMRO-388s and DMRO-327 strains can be successfully cultivated on wheat straw based substrate due its quick colonization abilities. The pre-incubation period using a sawdust based cultivation system appears to shorten the cropping cycle of L. edodes which has economic implications.

Pleurotus (Oyster mushroom) is an important cultivated edible mushroom across the world. It has several therapeutic effects as it contains various useful bio-molecules. The cultivation and crop management of these basidiomycete fungi depends on many extrinsic and intrinsic factors such as substrate composition, growing environment, enzymatic properties, and the genetic makeup, etc. Moreover, for efficient crop production, a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental properties viz. intrinsic–extrinsic factors and genotype-environment interaction analysis is required. The present study explores the basidiocarp formation biology in Pleurotus mushroom using an in silico response to the environmental factors and involvement of the major regulatory genes. The predictive model developed in this study indicates involvement of the key regulatory pathways in the pinhead to fruit body development process. Notably, the major regulatory pathways involved in the conversion of mycelium aggregation to pinhead formation and White Collar protein (PoWC1) binding flavin-chromophore (FAD) to activate respiratory enzymes. Overall, cell differentiation and higher expression of respiratory enzymes are the two important steps for basidiocarp formation. PoWC1 and pofst genes were participate in the structural changes process. Besides this, the PoWC1 gene is also involved in the respiratory requirement, while the OLYA6 gene is the triggering point of fruiting. The findings of the present study could be utilized to understand the detailed mechanism associated with the basidiocarp formation and to cultivate mushrooms at a sustainable level.

Mushroom production in India has registered a considerable growth in the recent times. However, cultivation of shiitake mushroom, which represents a major share at a global level, is still at a primitive stage in the Indian subcontinent. The scarcity of raw materials and the cost of energy for substrate sterilization are the major hurdles for a large-scale production. The present study delves into the possibility of growing shiitake mushroom on lignocellulosic biomass (saw dust and wheat straw) processed with different heat treatments to develop a cost-effective production technology. Six different strains of shiitake mushroom, viz., DMRO-35, 51, 297, 388s, 410, 412, were used in this study. The substrates were exposed to a pasteurization temperature of 80 ± 5 °C in a bulk pasteurization chamber for three different times (H₁–H₃) and also to a high-pressure sterilization (H₄) in an autoclave. DMRO-388s was found to be the most productive strain, irrespective of the substrate and heat treatment method used. Significant differences were observed in the biological yield depending on the type of substrate and heat treatment. Changes in the biochemical composition of the lignocellulosic residues in three different stages, viz., pre heat treatment, inoculation and primordial formation stages, were recorded. Changes in heat treatment levels and duration significantly altered the cellulose/lignin ratio of the growing substrate. High-pressure sterilization aided the rapid degradation of lignin in the substrate and increased its bioavailability, thereby facilitating the fungus achieving its potential yield. A significant correlation in the positive direction between the yield levels of the tested strains and the consumption of lignin in the growing substrate was found, suggesting the significance of pre heat treatment for the bioconversion of lignin and its subsequent utilization in the solid-state fermentation process. The substrate pre heat treatment under high-pressure sterilization was proved to be beneficial to obtain the maximum yields of shiitake mushroom.