MORPHOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MYCELIAL ISOLATES BELONGING TO SOME VALUABLE EDIBLE/MEDICINAL MACROMYCETES COLLECTED FROM THE SPONTANEOUS MYCOBIOTA

Abstract

A number of 18 wild mycelial isolates were obtained from sporocarps of edible/medicinal macromycetes collected from the spontaneous mycobiota of natural habitats in various areas/regions of Romania – the counties of Argeș, Covasna, Giurgiu, Ilfov, Ialomița, Prahova, and Bucharest. The isolates belong to different species of basidiomycetes (9) and ascomycetes (1) with significant nutritional, gastronomic, and/or therapeutic value. The mycelia were evaluated in vitro for morphological and cultural characteristics on three types of different agar media – malt extract (MEA), potato extract (PDA), and compost extract (MECA). The growth and morphology of the colonies highlighted differences between isolates belonging to different species, these characteristics being a useful support in assessing taxonomic affiliation and in maintaining the identity of pure mycelium cultures.
Isolates of the species Pleurotus ostreatus (7) were subsequently checked for growth characteristics in a comparative test on MEA and PDA media and on the granular substrate specific to that used for producing seeding mycelium (spawn). The malt extract agar medium (MEA) promoted higher growth of the mycelia of wild Pleurotus ostreatus strains than the potato dextrose agar medium (PDA). The isolates Po1Br, Po4V, Po6M and Po7B recorded the highest growth rates on both agar media and the granular wheat grain substrate.