EXTENDED ABSTRACT
Tikri Reserved Forest of Eastern Uttar Pradesh situated in Tarabganj sub-division of Gonda district (U.P.) lying at 26°20′06″N latitude and on 82°15′40″E longitude. It is spread over an area of 70 km2 which is characterized by typical terai landscape. This area is very rich in vegetation with Sal (Shorea robusta) and Teak forests (Tectona grandis) as the main tree species. It also harbours a rich diversity of economical and medicinal plant species, mainly confined to the peripheral region of the forest. Along with affluent flora, the reserve forest is also endowed with many mammalian fauna. To explore the mushroom flora of this Forest, various field surveys were conducted during the monsoon period of the years 2016 – 2019, in which a total of fifty three mushroom species belonging to thirty seven genera were collected and identified from different localities of the reserved forest so far (Table.1, Plate.1).
In the field, mature and well developed fruit bodies are being collected carefully. The macroscopic features of the fruiting bodies (e.g. shape, size and colour of sporophore) were noted in the field while the microscopic features (e.g. spore shape) were noted in laboratory. Various ecological parameters have also been recorded along with other field data such as habit, habitat etc. Well developed fruit bodies have been photographed. The collections were then wrapped in waxed paper and brought to the laboratory for further study. The morphotaxonomic features of Arora (1986), Singer (1986) and www.mushroomexpert.com were mainly followed.
The majority of the species were saprophytic in nature,
while parasitic and symbiotic were also recorded. Among them Termitomyces globulus, T. heimii, T. microcapus, Russula delica. R. nobilis, R. senecis, Marasmius haematocephalus, M.
siccus and Xylaria sp. were frequent mushroom species while Amanita sp., Auricularia
sp., Calvatia sp., Coprinus
comatus, C. cinereus, Daldinia concentrica, Dacryopinax sp.,
Ganoderma applanatum, G. lucidum, Geastrum saccatum, Laccaria sp., Lepiota sp., Lentinus sp.,
Leucoagaricus sp., Leucocoprinus
medioflavus, L. cepaestipes ,L. cretaceous, Lycoperdon sp., Mutinus caninus, Mycena
sp., Panaeolus sp., Phallus
indusiatus, Podoscypha petalodes,
Ramaria sp., Scleroderma sp., Schizophyllum commune, Tricholoma giganteum, Volvariella bombycina, V. volvacea, Tulostoma brumale were occasionally
found. Boletus sp. and Pleurotus cystidiosus were
rarely found. These species were recorded during the year 2016-2018 (Siddhant
et al., 2019 a). In the early monsoon of the year 2019, three new
mushroom species viz., Astraeus hygrometricus, Conocybe sp., Chantharellus
subalbidus were collected from the selective localities of the reserved
forest (Siddhant et al., 2019 b) while in the late monsoon, a total of
nine mushroom species viz., Chlorophyllum brunneum, Laccaria fraternal,
Macrolepiota procera, Marasmius curreyi, M. epiphyllus, Parasola plicatilis,
Termitomyces fuliginosus, Volvariella pusilla and Xylaria polymorpha have
been identified on the basis of their taxonomical characters. The mushroom
species were greater in number in the month of August and September during
2016-2019 while lesser number of species were noticed in the month of July. The
greater relative humidity, more rain fall and moderate temperature range
probably accounted for more fructification and hence appearance of greater
number of species in those months. Agaricales were predominant order comprised
13 families followed by Polyporales and Bolatales which consisted 3 families each.
Auriculariales, Cantharellales, Dacrymycetales, Geastrales, Gomphales,
Phallales, Russulales and Xylariales comprising of one family each. Most of the
genera belonged to order Agaricales (84%) followed by Polyporales and Bolatales (12% each) and Phallales and
Xylariales (8% each). The least gerena were recorded for the order
Auriculariales, Cantharellales, Dacrymycetales, Geastrales, Russulales and
Gomphales (4% each). Amongst different families of Agaricales, Agaricaceae
consisted higher number of Genera (9) followed by Bolbitiaceae with two genera.
Rest of the families viz., Amanitaceae, Hydnangiaceae, Lyophyllaceae,
Marasmiaceae, Mycenaceae, Pleurotaceae, Psathyrellaceae, Schizophyllaceae and
Tricholomataceae contained one genera each. The species, recorded during observation
were found growing on different types of substrates. These were grouped into:
(a) Species growing on soil or humus, (b) Species growing on wood, (c) Species
growing on partially decomposed leaf litter, (d) Species growing in and around
termite nests, and (e) Species growing on dung. Greater number of species was
recorded from the soil (23) followed by wood (17), partially decomposed leaf
litter (8) and termite nest (4). The dung harboured a single mushroom species. Few
mushroom species such as Leucocoprinus medioflavus and Volvariella volvacea
showed duel habitat. They were found on both wood and the soil. Amongst species
growing in association of different types of substrates, the Agaricales were
recorded from all the substrate types. In contrast, Cantharellales, Phallales
and Russulales were recorded only from the soil. The Auriculariales,
Dacrymycetales, Gomphales and Polyporales, on other hand, were recorded only from
the wood substrate. On the basis of utility of species in different forms these
were grouped into: (a) Edible, (b) Inedible, (c) Medicinal, (d) Worthless and (e)
Poisonous. Indigenous characterization of wild mushrooms has revealed only 06
mushroom species viz., Termitomyces globules, T. heimii, T. microcarpus, T.
fuliginosus, Macrolepiota procera and Astraeus hygrometricus which were
used by locals as food purposes. Some of them (Astraeus hygrometricus,
Termitomyces heimii and Macrolepiota procera) were
also being sold in local market as a source of income (Fig.1).
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Fig. 1: Wild edible mushrooms of the study area: People selling Macrolepiota procera in Nawabganj (A) and Faizabad market (B), Collection of Termitomyces fuliginosus (C) and Astraeus hygrometricus (D) from forest by local for food. |
Simple
morphological forms such as colour, shape and their association were the key
features for indigenous characterization. Local names were also found to be an
important element when distinguishing edible mushrooms from other. Conventional characterization of the wild
mushrooms was performed by observing different features including cap colour,
cap surface texture, gills/tubes and latex, spore print, fruiting body
fleshiness, ecological classification. Through the conventional
characterization, 18 species of wild mushrooms were found to be edible, 10
inedible, 3 poisonous, 3 medicinal and 12 of unknown edibility. Seven mushroom
species were established as worthless due to their miniscule size. The edible
species have been considered good in respect of their edibility. These species
were: Astraeus hygrometricus, Auricularia sp., Calvatia sp., Chantharellus subalbidus, Coprinus
comatus, Lentinus sp., Leucoagaricus sp., Macrolepiota procera, Phallus
indusiatus, Pleurotus
cystidiosus, Russula delica, R. nobilis, R. Senecis, Termitomyces fuliginosus, T. globules, T. heimii, T. Microcarpus, Tricholoma giganteum and V.
Volvacea. The inedible species were not considered utilizable in form of
food in spite of larger and fleshy sporocarp while few were hard and stiff in
texture. These species were: Chlorophyllum brunneum, Daldinia
concentric, Geastrum saccatum, Mutinus caninus, Panaeolus sp, Podoscypha
petalodes, Tulostoma brumale, Volvariella bombycina, Xylaria polymorpha, Xylaria sp. The medicinal species were those whose medicinal
properties have already been explored. This category of species includes: Ganoderma
applanatum, G. Lucidum and Schizophyllum commune. The poisonous species
were Amanita sp. Leucocoprinus
medioflavus and Scleroderma sp.
The worthless species included: Coprinus cinereus, Conocybe sp., Marasmius
curreyi, M.
epiphyllus, M. haematocephalus, M. siccus and Parasola plicatilis. Although some wild mushrooms such as Calvatia sp., Pleurotus cystidiosus, Russula sp., Tricholoma giganteum and Volvariella
volvacea are edible, these were not consumed by local inhabitants because
of unawareness in respect of edible nature of these mushrooms. There
is also a scope of availability of better strain of mushroom whose germplasm
may be collected and used in breeding experiments to improve the variety of
mushrooms. Many edible (Macrolepiota procera, Volvariella
volvacea, Pleurotus cystidiosus and Tricholoma giganteum)
and medicinal (Ganoderma applanatum, G. Lucidum) mushrooms species which
are unpopular among the local mushroom growers, are yet to be explored for
their commercial cultivation in this part of the country. As the Tikri Reserved
Forest is spread over a very large area, more surveys are needed over an
extended period in order to explore entire mushroom flora with special
reference to edible mushrooms. Overall, the findings of this study will be a
reference database of wild mushroom of the Tikri reserved forest and their ethnomycological
aspects which will help in future research works. (Link)
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Fig.1 Wild mushrooms of Tikri Reserved Forest. 1. Astraeus hygrometicus; 2. Auricularia sp.; 3. Calvatia sp.; 4. Conocybe sp.; 5. Chlorophyllum brunneum; 6. Dacropinax sp.; 7. Daldinia concentrica; 8. Ganoderma lucidum; 9. Geastrum saccatum; 10. Lentinus sp.; 11. Leucocoprinus cretaceous.; 12. L. medioflavus; 13. Macrolepiota procera; 14. Marasmius haematocephalus; 15. M. siccus; 16. Mutinus caninus; 17. Panaeolus sp.; 18. Pleurotus cystidiosus; 19. Podoscypha petalodes, 20. Russula delica; 21. R. nobilis; 22. R. senecis; 23. Schizophyllum commune; 24. Scleroderma sp. 25. Termitomyces microcarpus; 26. T. fuliginosus; 27. Volvariella bombycina; 28. V. volvacia; 29. Xylaria sp.; 30. X. polymorpha. |
Reference:
1) Arora, D. (1986): Mushroom Demystified: A comprehensive guide to the fleshy fungi. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
2) Siddhant, Walakulu Gamage and Mahesh Kumar (2019a): Diversity of macro fungi in Tikri Reserved forest of Gonda district, Uttar Pradesh. Proceeding of National symposium on Trends & innovation in mushroom production technologies, diversification, processing & consumption organized by HAIC Agro R&D Centre, Murthal (Haryana). January 31-February 2, 2019. p.30.
3) Siddhant, P.O. Ukaogo, Nidhi Singh and Mahesh Kumar (2019b): An addition to the diversity of macro fungi in Tikri Reserved Forest, Gonda (U.P.) India. 11th Annual Scientific Conference on The role of Fungi in the Petroleum, Agro-allied and Pharmaceutical Industries organized by Mycological Society of Nigeria, Nigeria. October 06-09, 2019. P. 57.
4) Singer, R. (1986): The Agaricales in Modern Taxonomy 4th Ed. Bishan Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun.
Cited this as: Siddhant, Ruchira Singh, Mahesh Kumar and R.S. Kanaujia (2020): Addition to the macro fungi of Tikri Reserved Forest, Gonda (U.P.) India. Proceeding of National Web Conference on “Mushroom Production: Recent Advances and Strategies for Successful & Sustainable Trade". Banda (U.P.) India. October 5-6, 2020. BUAT Publication No. BUAT (P)-1/2021. :pp 54-65.