Biodiversity of Edible, Medicinal, Mychorhizal, Poisonous and Wild Macrofungi in Chhattisgarh

Abstract

A systematic study through extensive and repetitive was conducted across the length and breadth of Chhattisgarh plains, Bastar plateau and northern hill zones of Chhattisgarh to benchmark the diversity of macrofungi and characterize, collect, preserve, and evaluate their edibility and medicinal value. About 83 mushroom flora/fungal genera of edible, non-edible, medicinal, poisonous, mycorhyzal mushroom were collected from litter, soil, termite mounds, wood logs, live plants and rotten leaves across dense stretches of forests of Bastar, Amarkantak, Jagdalpur, Ambikapur to name a few and also from various market areas of different districts cutting across Chhattisgarh. All stages of Rhizopogon sps. and Termitomyces sps. (Kanki Futu) was observed in in-situ conditions. The market survey was also conducted and it was found that Termitomyces and Rhizopogon were sold in abundance at very high prices across Chhattisgarh. The other edible macrofungi collected and isolated from forests were Calocybe indica (milky mushroom), Volvariella volvaceae (Paddy straw mushroom), Pleurotus djamor, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus florida and Hypsizygous ulmarius. Few macrofungi as mycorrhizal partners, bioabsorbents, decomposers and storehouses of medicinal biomolecules were also collected, characterized and stored. However many issues relating to their taxonomy and phylogeny, ecology, and geographical distributions remain unclear. Keywords: Biodiversity, macrofungi, Pleurotus, Calocybe, Rhizopogon and Termitomyces