A successful cultivation of Flammulina elastica, distantly related to the widely cultivated species F. filiformis

ABSTRACT

Flammulina elastica is a white-rot basidiomycete fungus sheltered in the Northern Hemisphere. Although F. filiformis, popularly known as the enoki mushroom, is widely cultivated, few attempts have been made to produce F. elastica in South Asia. In this study, we examined the relationships between the taxa of Flammulina based on the ribosomal Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence and taxonomic characteristics. The morphological studies and ITS-based molecular results confirm the species as F. elastica. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that F. elastica belongs to a distinct clade. The species showed a large cap size and thick pileus with high fruit body weight. The lamellae of F. elastica are adnate, whitish to yellowish brown. The present study successfully standardised the cultivation technology of F. elastica under controlled growth conditions, with 18.6% biological efficiency on wheat straw-based substrate. The fruit bodies comprise 51.4% total carbohydrates and 24.5% protein on a dry weight basis. Higher β-glucan (47.3% w/w) was also reported in the fruit body, with considerable antioxidant activity. Moreover, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) studies revealed the presence of higher functional groups compared to F. filiformis. The experimental findings will popularise the cultivation of this mushroom in South Asian countries and temperate regions of India.

KEYWORDS:

• Flammulina
• mushroom
• taxonomy
• nutritional
• FTIR

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Director, ICAR‒Directorate of Mushroom Research, Chambaghat Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India, for providing laboratory facilities under the project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the authors.