Fungi can help solve several problems in fish farming. They can make plant-based fish feed more nutritious and easier to digest, boost fish immune systems and disease resistance without antibiotics, help fish feed float better in water, and clean up polluted water from fish farms. This makes aquaculture more sustainable and environmentally friendly while reducing costs for farmers.
This paper discusses how invertebrate bites (from insects, spiders, and other small creatures) can transmit dangerous fungal infections to humans by directly injecting fungi into the skin. These infections are rare but serious, often causing tissue death and requiring amputation. As global warming increases temperatures, insect populations will expand into new areas, become more aggressive, and fungi may adapt to survive at higher temperatures, potentially making these infections more common and dangerous in the future.
Researchers tested using leftover mushroom material (spent mushroom substrate) as a growing medium for milky mushrooms instead of traditional loamy soil. While traditional soil produced more mushrooms overall, the mushrooms grown in the recycled substrate contained significantly higher levels of beneficial minerals like zinc, copper, and phosphorus. The study found that beneficial bacteria in the recycled material helped make nutrients more available to the mushrooms, making this approach both environmentally friendly and nutritionally advantageous.
Researchers studied how to grow seven rare and endangered wood-dwelling mushrooms in the laboratory, which is important for saving these species from extinction. They tested different growing conditions including adding sawdust to growth media, adjusting temperatures, adding vermiculite to grain-based substrates, and using different types of wood. The study found that simple and inexpensive modifications like using birch wood and adding vermiculite significantly improved mushroom growth, making conservation and commercial cultivation more practical and affordable.
This study examined growing oyster mushrooms on different substrate mixtures combining wheat straw with recycled coffee grounds and olive plant waste. The researchers found that mushrooms grown on substrates with lower amounts of these waste materials produced comparable yields to standard straw while offering better nutritional profiles, including higher protein and lower fat content. The findings suggest that using these recycled agricultural wastes could benefit mushroom farming in regions where wheat straw is difficult to obtain, though lead contamination from coffee grounds was a concern requiring better cleaning procedures.
Scientists have decoded the complete genetic blueprint of the wine cap mushroom (Stropharia rugosoannulata), a popular edible mushroom grown worldwide. The research identified over 12,000 genes and discovered the mushroom contains powerful enzymes that break down plant material, explaining why it grows so well on straw and corn stalks. The study also revealed that different parts of the mushroom (cap and stem) have different functions, with stems focusing on energy production and caps on growth and development.