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Morphology and Mycelial Growth Rate of Pleurotus spp. Strains from the Mexican Mixtec Region

Summary

This research studied two native mushroom strains from Mexico to improve commercial mushroom production. The scientists analyzed how different strains grow and developed new hybrid strains that could grow faster than the original ones. This work is important for developing better mushroom varieties for farming. Impacts on everyday life: – Could lead to more efficient and productive mushroom farming – May help make nutritious mushrooms more widely available and affordable – Demonstrates sustainable use of local biological resources – Supports development of regional food production – Could provide economic opportunities for local farmers

Background

Production of edible fungi is a growing biotechnological industry worldwide. The Pleurotus genus includes diverse aromatic edible fungi valued for their culinary and nutritional properties, being rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. These fungi also produce important biomolecules with various biological activities including antitumoral, antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antioxidant properties.

Objective

To collect and characterize the germplasm of two native wild Pleurotus strains from the Mexican Mixtec region, with the aim of promoting Pleurotus spp. fungi production in Mexico. The study involved chemical dedikaryotization to recover symmetrical monokaryotic components and analysis of morphology and mycelium growth characteristics between native, neohaplonts and hybrid strains.

Results

The dedikaryotization process yielded 15 neohaplonts that produced 56 hybrid strains through compatible pairing. Three distinct mycelial morphologies were observed: cottony with high density (C-high), cottony with regular density (C-reg), and floccose with low density (F-low). A direct relationship between morphology and growth rate was found, with cottony mycelium showing significantly higher growth rates compared to floccose mycelium. The hybrid strain R1-2xB1-4 showed the highest growth rate at 1059.170 mm2/day.

Conclusion

The study successfully isolated and characterized native Pleurotus strains from the Mexican Mixtec region. Chemical dedikaryotization allowed symmetrical recovery of monokaryotic components. Mycelial morphology directly related to growth rates, with cottony strains growing faster than floccose ones. Compatible pairing of neohaplonts produced hybrid strains with higher mycelial growth rates compared to native strains, suggesting potential for commercial production.
  • Published in:Brazilian Journal of Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research,
  • Source: 10.1590/s1517-83822014000300016
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