Development of protocols for the domestication of wild edible mushrooms and the proximate nutritional analysis of the wild edible mushrooms

Abstract

Indigenous mushrooms are traditionally consumed worldwide and are appreciated for their multifarious nutritional value, flavor and also priced for their economic and ecological benefits as well as their medicinal properties. Besides all these benefits indigenous mushrooms are seasonal they are mainly consumed during rainy season, also collection of indigenous mushrooms has been decreasing due to changes in agricultural practices and degradation of indigenous forests. Hence the project sought to develop protocols for domestication these indigenous mushrooms so as to preserve the mushroom seed bank as well as to negate the seasonality of indigenous mushrooms. A survey was conducted to identify mushrooms distribution patterns, consumption patterns and most preferred mushrooms with potential for domestication. For the survey a questionnaire was designed, 151 respondents were selected from Karoi, Mapinga, Mhangura, Murombedzi, Trelawney, Magunje from Mashonaland West Province using simple random and systematic sampling technique. The findings of the study revealed that amanita zambiana was the most preferred followed by Cantharellus Miombonsesis, Cantharellus Heimenneanus, Lactarius Kabansus. The distribution of mushroom was significantly different (p<0.05) depending with the place and this was attributed to the rainfall patterns, vegetation type and topography. It was therefore recommended to do nutritional analysis for the most preferred mushrooms. Lactarius kabansus had the highest total protein content of 27.8% ±1.3 while Cantharellus miombonsesis had the lowest protein content value of 15.2 % ± 1.0. Amanita Zambiana had the highest ash content of 1.6%±0.8 whilst cantharellus heinemannianus had the lowest ash value of 0.8%±0.6. Cantharellus miombonsesis had the highest carbohydrate value of 77% ±1.3 whilst lactarius velutissimus had the lowest carbohydrate value of 30%±1.2. Amanita Zambiana had the highest value for fat content of 4%±1.6 and cantharellus miombonsesis had the lowest fat content value of 1.7%±0.8. For moisture content cantharellus miombonsesis had the highest value of 6.6%±1.2 whilst Lactarius velutimusis had 4.3%±0.8. These results show that these species of mushroom are highly nutritive and these findings can be useful to encourage domestication of these mushrooms. T edible mushrooms were subjected to domestication trials using wheat straw and saw dust supplemented with chicken manure were used. These species were subjected to different temperatures (180C, 250C, 300C). Out of the five edible mushrooms, amanita zambiana was the only one that formed pinheads. Generally spawn running time ranged from 24± 2 to 65±1 days at 300C, this was dependent on specie. The optimum temperature for mycelia run, spawn production and spawn run was 300C, though there was no significance with250C (p>0.05). There is need for further research to optimize the conditions necessary for successful domestication of wild mushrooms in Zimbabwe.