Towards an Optimal Methodology for Basidiomes Production of Naturally Occurring Species of the Genus Oudemansiella (Basidiomycetes).

Oudemansiella species are worldwide distributed and they are characterized for having attractive appearance, a soft fleshy context and mild taste and odor, what makes them interesting for mushroom intensive production. However, studies on their cultivation are scarce and there is no information regarding productive and morphological parameters of fruiting bodies obtained in culture. Here, we propose a methodology to determine the best production technique for the cultivation of not only Oudemansiella species but also of other xylophagous species assaying five different mushroom cultivation systems. Also, the optimal temperature of vegetative growth, the optimal lignocellulosic substrates and the nutritional properties of two naturally occurring Oudemansiella species were determined. As a result, bags with holes-system proved to be the most appropriate technique for the production of fruiting bodies, 25 °C was determined as the optimal temperature for mycelial growth and wheat straw as the best substrate. The evaluated species showed a higher content of fats and fiber and a lower content of proteins and carbohydrates compared to other mushrooms. Furthermore, this is the first report of the cultivation of O. cubensis on agricultural wastes in the world.

Studies of Neotropical tree pathogens in Moniliophthora: a new species, M. mayarum, and new combinations for Crinipellis ticoi and C. brasiliensis.

The crinipelloid genera Crinipellis and Moniliophthora (Agaricales, Marasmiaceae) are characterized by basidiomes that produce long, dextrinoid, hair-like elements on the pileus surface. Historically, most species are believed to be saprotrophic or, rarely, parasitic on plant hosts. The primary morphological diagnostic characters that separate Crinipellis and Moniliophthora are pliant vs. stiff (Crinipellis) stipes and a tendency toward production of reddish pigments (ranging from violet to orange) in the basidiome in Moniliophthora. Additionally, most species of Moniliophthora appear to have a biotrophic habit, while those of Crinipellis are predominantly saprotrophic. Recently, several new neotropical collections prompted a morphological and phylogenetic analysis of this group. Herein, we propose a new species and two new combinations: Moniliophthora mayarum sp. nov., described from Belize, is characterized by its larger pileus and narrower basidiospores relative to other related species; Moniliophthora ticoi comb. nov. (= Crinipellis ticoi) is recollected and redescribed from biotrophic collections from northern Argentina; and M. brasiliensis comb. nov. (= Crinipellis brasiliensis), a parasite of Heteropterys acutifolia. The addition of these three parasitic species into Moniliophthora support a hypothesis of a primarily biotrophic/parasitic habit within this genus.