ADDITION TO THE MACRO FUNGI OF TIKRI RESERVED FOREST, GONDA (U.P.) INDIA

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). 

 

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)

 

 

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. 11^th 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 4^th 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.