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Viral Effects of a dsRNA Mycovirus (PoV-ASI2792) on the Vegetative Growth of the Edible Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus

Summary

This research examined how a viral infection affects the growth of oyster mushrooms, which are commonly cultivated for food. The study found that mushrooms infected with the virus grew much more slowly and produced less biomass than healthy mushrooms. Impact on everyday life: • May help improve commercial mushroom cultivation yields • Could lead to better disease control in mushroom farms • May result in more reliable supply of edible mushrooms to consumers • Could help reduce crop losses for mushroom farmers • Contributes to understanding how to maintain healthy mushroom crops

Background

Mycoviruses (fungal viruses) have been reported in filamentous fungi and yeast for over 50 years. While generally not causing phenotypic changes, mycoviral infections can occasionally lead to substantial morphological and physiological changes in fungal hosts. Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation has been damaged by viral infections that cause reduced mycelial growth, delayed fruiting body formation, decreased yield, and malformed fruiting bodies.

Objective

To investigate the symptoms of PoV-ASI2792 mycovirus infection by comparing isogenic virus-free P. ostreatus strains with a virus-infected strain, and to determine the viral effects on vegetative growth characteristics.

Results

The virus-cured strains showed significantly higher mycelial growth rates and dry weights across all culture media tested. Growth rates were at least 2.2-fold higher on MCM and Hamada media, and mycelial dry weights were 2.7-fold higher on MCM and YMG media compared to the virus-infected strain. The virus-cured strains also showed stronger pigmentation than the virus-infected strain on several media types.

Conclusion

The infection of PoV-ASI2792 mycovirus has a significant deleterious effect on the vegetative growth of P. ostreatus, as demonstrated by reduced growth rates, decreased mycelial mass, and altered pigmentation in infected strains compared to virus-cured isogenic lines.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research,
  • Source: 10.5941/MYCO.2016.44.4.283
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