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High-Throughput Sequencing Uncovers Fungal Community Succession During Morchella sextelata Development

Summary

Researchers studied how the community of fungi in soil changes as morel mushrooms grow through different stages. They found that the diversity of soil fungi decreases once morels are planted, and dangerous fungi that cause diseases increase significantly as the fruiting bodies develop. This information can help farmers prevent diseases and improve morel production by managing soil fungal communities more effectively.

Background

Morchella sextelata is a highly prized edible and medicinal fungus with unique nutritional value. However, artificial cultivation remains challenging due to unstable yields, long growth cycles, and disease control difficulties. Soil microbial communities play a crucial role in mushroom development and have been shown to influence fruiting body formation and yield.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between soil fungal communities and the growth and development of Morchella sextelata across different cultivation stages using high-throughput sequencing technology to analyze fungal community structure, diversity, and composition.

Results

Alpha diversity was highest in bare soil and significantly decreased in the LS stage, increased in the LY stage, then declined in LC. Beta diversity analysis showed significant differences across stages (R=0.9567, p=0.001). Ascomycota dominated throughout, while Paecilomyces dominated the LY stage and Morchella dominated LS and LC stages. Pathogenic fungi increased dramatically from 0.06% in LS to 41.41% in LC.

Conclusion

The study revealed significant stage-specific changes in soil fungal community diversity and composition during Morchella sextelata cultivation. The increase in pathogenic fungi, particularly Fusarium, during fruiting stages indicates elevated disease risk. These findings provide insights for optimizing cultivation techniques and implementing disease prevention strategies.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40422698, DOI: 10.3390/jof11050364
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