Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(2): 823-838 International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 8 Number 02 (2019) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2019.802.094 Macrofungal Diversity of North-Eastern Part of Uttar Pradesh (India) Ravinder Pal Singh1*, Abihjeet S. Kashyap2, Aradhana Pal1, Pooja Singh1 and N.N. Tripathi1 1Bacteriology and Natural Pesticide Laboratory, Department of Botany, DDU Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur-273009, (U.P.), India 2ICAR-NBAIM Mau (U.P.), India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Present study was done in North-Eastern part of Uttar Pradesh (India) which is home to K e yw or ds diverse form of macrofungal species, some of which are highly edible and generally used by local peoples as food and other medicinal purpose. Species composition and species Macrofungal diversity of macrofungi were examined in 7 Tehsils of Gorakhpur district. The fruiting diversity , Climatic condition , bodies of macrofungi were collected between 2014-2016 during different seasons, but Gorakhpur maximum occurrence of macrofungi was found in rainy season. During extensive field survey 30 macrofungal samples were collected and identified which belonging to 23 Article Info genera and 16 families on the basis of their morphological and microscopic study. These macrofungi were observed in humid, calcareous, sandy soil and on wood log, wood, leaf Accepted: litter, leaf heaps, troops of rotten wood, decaying wood log as well as on termite nests. The 07 January 2019 Available Online: collected macrofungi were well photographed, preserved in dry as well as in wet condition for the further study. Present study indicates that the variation in climatic condition of 10 February 2019 Gorakhpur made it possible for the prosperity and unevenness of macrofungi in this area. Introduction Andrew et al., 2013). Macrofungi studies have long been of interest to scientists as well Fungi are a group of heterotrophic organisms as the public due to their important roles in that consist of a thallus, an assemblage of human life, such as their beneficial and vegetative cells not forming tissue in the harmful effects on forests, their use in the functional sense, and therefore not having pharmacology industry, and the mass differentiated organs. They are one of the production of cultivated fungi in the food most diverse groups of organisms on earth, industry, as well as their vital role in and constitute a significant part of terrestrial biodegradation (Stojchev et al., 1998). ecosystems. They form a large share of the Mushrooms are economically important since species richness and are key-players in they serve as food, medicine, biocontrol ecosystem processes (Senn-Irlet et al., 2007, agents, chemical producers of bioactive 823 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(2): 823-838 compounds used in the pharmaceutical and Gola, Khajni, Sadar and Sahjanwa of many other industries. Gorakhpur district were conducted between 2014-2016 for the collection of macrofungi. Macrofungi are useful in the bioremediation Regular field trips were made for collection of of industrial waste and the accumulation of macrofungi but it was more frequent during heavy metals from the environment (June to September) monsoon season. (Demirbas 2000). Lignicolous macrofungi Collected macrofungi samples were also have secondary metabolites which photographed in their natural habitat and their expressed significant effects such as morphological characters were noted. The antibacterial activity (Kalyoncu et al., 2010). habitats including ecological parameters viz., They can also be grown and used as a cash vegetation composition, soil type, humidity, crop. temperatures and time with macroscopic characters of the specimens were also noted. Macrofungi include well-known groups that have been described by popular terms such as The macrofungal samples were brought to the ‘gilled fungi’, ‘cup fungi’, ‘bracket fungi’, laboratory for further microscopic ‘puffballs’, and ‘truffles’. These terms reflect examination and preserved in the wet and dry the morphological diversity that is condition (Singh et al., 2016). In dry encountered within the macrofungi. preservation the collected samples were well Ecologically, macrofungi can be classified dried and packed in wax-paper bags wrapped into three groups: the saprophytes, the with aluminum foil to prevent external parasites and the symbiotic (mycorrhizal) infection and intermixing of the spores and species. Most terrestrial macrofungi are labeled. Collected macrofungi were identified saprobes or mycorrhizal symbionts, but some on the basis of their morphological and are pathogens of plants or fungi. Macrofungi microscopic characters and confirmed by fruiting on woody substrata are usually either using the relevant literatures (Jordan, 1995; saprobes or plant pathogens (Mueller et al., Vishwakarma et al., 2011; Zheng and Lui, 2007). 2008; Kumar and Sharma 2009). All the macrofungal specimens were deposited to the Mushrooms are widespread in nature and they herbarium of Department of Botany, DDU remain the earliest form of fungi known to Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, (U.P.) mankind. Mushrooms appear to be collected India. and consumed during almost the entire year, but most fungi are collected during the rainy Results and Discussion seasons, suggesting the importance of rainfall patterns in fungal phenology. The goal of this During present investigation a total of 30 paper is to turn the attention on the macrofungi samples were collected which occurrence of several saprotrophic terrestrial belonging to 23 genera and 16 families. The agarics confined to naked humose soil most dominant families were Polyporaceae observed in Gorakhpur district. and Tricholomataceae having 5 species each Materials and Methods followed by Fomitopsidaceae having 4 species; Cantharellaceae, Ganodermataceae Collection of macrofungi and Hygrophoraceae having 2 species each while Cordycipitaceae, Xylariaceae, Exhaustive surveys in 7 Tehsils viz., Pezizaceae, Pyronemataceae, Bansgaon, Chauri-Chaura, Campierganj, Hyphodermataceae, Strophariaceae, 824 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(2): 823-838 Albaratrellaceae, Sparassidiaceae, Collection examined: Uttar Pradesh, Meruliaceae and Hymenochaetaceae having Gorakhpur district, Khajni Tehsil, Khajni one species each. Out of 30 identified block, Belipaar village. Ravinder Pal Singh, macrofungi 7 were found to be edible, 22 DDUNPL-276. were inedible while one was poisonous. Specimen examined: Macroscopic and The information regarding the species name, microscopic features agree well with the family, edibility and date of collection of description given by Koyani et al., (2016). macrofungi are given in Table 1 (Fig. 1 and 2). Peziza ampliata Pers.: Fr. Description of collected macrofungi given Description: Fruit body 1-3 cm in diameter below with their photographs and 1-2 cm tall, apothecial upper (hymenial) surface cinnamon brown, smooth, outer Cordyceps canadensis Ellis & Everhart (lower) surface more pallid with darker mealy dots, at first almost vesicular, becoming more Description: Fruit body 3-10 cm high, the cup-shaped with a denticulate margin, sessile. fertile head is oval to subglobose, chestnut Flesh brown, brittle and thin. Spores 18-20 X brown to blackish, set on a tough yellow- 10-22 µm, hyaline, reticulate, ellipsoid, non- olivaceous stalk up to 1cm thick. Spores 20- septate, uniseriate, 2 droplets, inedible. 50 X 3-5 µm, smooth, hyaline, ellipsoid. Habitat mainly in decay wood or cow dung, Collection examined: Uttar Pradesh, inedible. Gorakhpur district, Campierganj Tehsil, Campierganj block, Veer Bahadur Singh Collection examined: Uttar Pradesh, Park. Ravinder Pal Singh, DDUNPL-279. Gorakhpur district, Sadar Tehsil, Khorabar block, Kushmi jungle. Ravinder Pal Singh, Specimen examined: Macroscopic and DDUNPL-272. microscopic features agree well with the description given by Jordan (1995). Specimen examined: Macroscopic and microscopic features agree well with the Cheilymenia stercorea (F H Wigg.: Fr.) description given by Ginns 1988. Boud Xylaria carpophila (Pers.: Fr.) Fr. Description: Fruiting body cup shaped 0.2-0.3 cm across, upper surface reddish orange, Description: Fruiting body 0.2-0.3 cm in fading to yellowish; undersurface similarly diameter and 2-5 cm tall, upper stromal colored or paler, with bristle-like hairs surface whitish becoming black-tipped at ranging from brownish to yellowish, flesh maturity, lower sterile parts black and downy, thin and insubstantial. Saprobic on the dung antler-shaped, compressed, perithecia black, of domestic animals (primarily horses and sub-spherical, fully embedded in the stromal cows) and occasionally reported on the dung tissue and arranged in a single dense layer just of wild animals; growing alone or beneath the surface towards the apex. Flesh gregariously, spring through fall, or in winter white and hard. Spores 11-14 X 5-6 µm, in warmer climates. Spores 14-18 X 8-10 µm, chocolate, smooth, reniform, with distinct elliptical, smooth, inedible. cleft on one side, non-septate, uniseriate, 1-2 droplets, inedible. 825 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(2): 823-838 Collection examined: Uttar Pradesh, Sardar Nagar block, Saraya village. Ravinder Gorakhpur district, Sadar Tehsil, Khorabar Pal Singh, DDUNPL-284. block, Kushmi jungle. Ravinder Pal Singh, DDUNPL-280. Specimen examined: Macroscopic and microscopic features agree well with the Specimen examined: