Molecular Characterisation and Identification of Three Mushrooms Found in the Niger Delta Region

Mushrooms are a group of fungi that are diverse and in the Niger Delta region; there are various species, some of which share similar morphological features. Over the years, mushrooms have been put to several important uses ranging from food, nutraceuticals, feed for livestock, and more recently bioremediation, hence, the need for an accurate approach of identification is eminent. This study aims to identify three mushroom samples with the potential for crude oil degradation using molecular tools. The molecular identification of the mushrooms was carried out with the ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) region to analyze their genetic diversity. The three mushroom samples were identified as Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus floridanus and Lentinus squarrosulus. The blast results showed 86.0%, 97.9%, and 88.4% for Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus floridanus and Lentinus squarrosulus respectively for sequence similarity. The samples were assigned unique accession numbers on GenBank The use of molecular characterization gives reliable results to the species level. The results from this study have increased the database of Pleurotus and Lentinus DNA and serve as a basis for the identification of unidentified species by comparing their PCR amplified sequences with ITS primers.

Economic potentials of mushroom (Pleurotus floridanus) production among Rumuekini women group in Obio/Akpo, Rivers State, Nigeria

The study assessed economic potentials of mushroom production using farm produce waste in Obio/Akpor LGA of Rivers State, Nigeria. Specifically, socioeconomic characteristics of mushroom farmers in the LGA were identified, perception of farmers about mushroom cultivation was analyzed and cost-return analysis of mushroom cultivation was estimated. Purposive sampling technique was adopted in the selection of 32 farmers who participated in the training of mushroom cultivation in Rumuekini community was selected. Data was analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics such means, and percentage and gross margin model was used to determine profit level. The result showed that mushroom farmers were mainly women aged between 50 years and above. Gross margin analysis of mushroom cultivation showed that estimated total variable cost of production was four thousand nine hundred and fifty naira (₦4,950 .00 = 12.4 USD) per 100 substrate bags of cultivated mushroom. Estimated total revenue realized was twenty-two thousand, five hundred naira (₦22,500= 56.3 USD) per 100 substrate bags of cultivated mushroom and gross margin was seventeen thousand, five hundred and fifty naira (₦17,550=43.9 USD) per 100 substrate bags of cultivated mushroom. It was found that mushroom cultivation has the potential to improve income status of the women. Also, the materials for mushroom production could be sourced locally and farmers preferred cultivated mushroom to wildly sourced types. It is recommended that more awareness be created, and support services be given to the women in the area to encourage their participation in mushroom production. Mushroom cultivation could be extended to interested smallholder women for the purpose of augmenting nutrition, and economic empowerment. Keywords: Mushroom, Economic, Potentials, Production, Farmers.

Can Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) Hook.f. Serve as Supplement for Production of Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus floridanus) Singer?

Supplement in mushroom production boosts yield. Fluted pumpkin parts were assessed as an alternative to wheat bran as supplement in mushroom production. Sawdust, lime and wheat bran or fluted pumpkin (Pod, seed, stem) were mixed in ratio 180: 1: 30. There were 10 replicates for each treatment. The design was completely randomized blocked design. The results showed that supplemented sawdust with wheat bran had higher value for the dry weight with significant difference from treatments with pumpkin parts in some flushes and none in other flushes Supplemented sawdust with mixture of all supplements was highest in Ash (14.30%) and moisture (24.75%). Protein and lipids values were highest for supplemented sawdust with wheat bran and significantly different (p<0.05) from other treatments. Sawdust supplemented with fluted pumpkin stem (28.06%) had highest value for carbohydrates while that supplemented with pod had (21.16%), the highest for fiber. For minerals, K (794.50 mg/kg), Ca (349.75 mg/kg), and Na (379.50 mg/kg) were highest for Fluted Pumpkin Seed Supplement, Fluted Pumpkin Pod Supplement and No Supplement respectively. In conclusion, Fluted pumpkin pod and stem compares very well with wheat bran supplement, and can serve as supplement in the production of oyster mushroom.

Characteristic of oil palm empty fruit bunch pretreated with Pleurotus floridanus (Pretreatment biologi tandan kosong kelapa sawit menggunakan Pleurotus floridanus)

Pleurotus floridanus have ability on lignin degradation by producing ligninolytic enzyme and prefer to degrade lignin than carbohydrate (hemicellulose and cellulose). Oil palm empty fruit bunches has been pretreated using P. floridanus. Addition of cation (Cu2+) on biological pretreatment reduced lignin content and increased digestibility of the empty fruit bunches. P. floridanus reduce lignin and hemicellulose content from 23.9% to 10.1% and from 20.8% to 16.9%, respectively. P. floridanus did not degrade cellulose. Cellulose content of empty fruit bunches increase from 40.4% to 51.7%. Crystallinity of empty fruit bunches reduced after biological pretreatment. Crystallinity presented as LOI (lateral order index) of un-treated and biological pretreated oil palm empty fruit bunches are 2.08 and 1.44. Digestibility of the empty fruit bunches increased from 17.2% to 60.3% by biological pretreatment.[Key words: biological pretreatment, oil palm empty fruit bunches, Pleurotus floridanus, biofuel, white-rot fungi, lignocellulose]AbstrakPleurotus floridanus memiliki kemampuan untuk mendegradasi lignin dengan memproduksi enzim ligninolitik dan lebih memilih untuk mendegradasi lignin daripada karbohidrat (hemiselulosa dan selulosa). Kemampuan unik P. floridanus ini dimanfaatkan dalam pretreatment biologi tandan kosong kelapa sawit. Penambahan kation (Cu2+) pada pretreatment biologi menurunkan kandungan lignin dan meningkatkan digestibiliti tandan kosong kelapa sawit. Perlakuan P. floridanus mengurangi kandungan lignin dan hemiselulosa dari 23,9% menjadi 10,1% dan dari 20,8% menjadi 16,9%. Perlakuan P. floridanus tidak menurunkan kandungan selulosa. Kandungan selulosa tandan kosong kelapa sawit meningkat dari 40,4% menjadi 51,7%. Kristalinitas tandan kosong menurun setelah pretreatment biologi. Kristalinitas yang dinyatakan dalam LOI (LOI, Lateral Order Index) adalah 2,08 untuk tandan kosong tanpa pretreatment biologi dan 1,44 untuk tandan kosong dengan pretreatment biologi. Digestibiliti itandan kosong meningkat dari 17,2% menjadi 60,3%.[Kata kunci: Pretreatment biologi, tandan kosong kelapa sawit, jamur pelapuk putih, lignoselulosa, Pleurotus floridanus]

EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF WILD MUSHROOMS COLLECTED FROM HIMACHAL PRADESH

ABSTRACTObjective: The objective of this study is to elucidate phytochemical contents, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity of wild mushrooms collectedfrom Himachal Pradesh.Methods: Quantitative analysis of phytochemical constituents was carried out using standard methods while 1,1 diphenylpicrylhydrazyl nitric oxide,hydrogen peroxide-free radical scavenging assay were used to evaluate the antioxidant properties of selected wild mushrooms. Anti-inflammatorycapacity of samples was evaluated by human red blood cell membrane stabilization and albumin denaturation inhibition method.Results: The results obtained revealed that Pleurotus floridanus showed higher total phenol, flavonoid carotenoid, and ascorbic acid contentsof 61.13±2.3 mg/g, 15.2±1.13 mg/g, 12.42±0.42 μg/g, 17.36±0.40 μg/g, and 14.55±0.58 mg/g. All the species showed antioxidant potential, butP. floridanus proved to be more active while Macrocybe sp. proved to be least one.Conclusion: The mushroom species analyzed have been showed to be good source of phytoconstituents, antioxidants, and also possess antiinflammatoryproperties, thus can be used in the management of oxidative stress-induced disease.Keywords: Wild mushrooms, Scavenging effect, Total phenol, Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory.