Effect of temperature and pH on mycelial growth of monkey head mushroom (Hericium erinaceus)

Abstract

The influence of various temperature regimes on growth of mycelium of Hericium erinaceus was recorded in vitro by culturing the fungus on PDA medium, then incubated in BOD incubator at different temperature ranges i.e. 15±10C, 20±10C, 25±10C, 30±10C and 35±10C. The results indicated that H. erinaceus can grow well at all temperatures, but the maximum growth 90.00 mm was recorded at 25±10C followed by 20±10C (73.00 mm) and 30±10C (66.33 mm) and the lowest growth was observed on 35±10C (44.67 mm) after 16 days of incubation. It was observed that the mycelium incubated at different temperatures showed significant difference in their radial growth. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth was at 25±10C with fastest mycelial growth and took only 16 days for attaining full growth on PDA. This represented that the maximum growth rate 5.63 mm/day was seen at 25±10C followed by 20±10C (4.56 mm/day) and 30±10C (4.15 mm/day). Lowest growth rate observed at 35±10C i.e. 2.79 mm/day. It was observed that the optimum temperature for mycelial growth of monkey head mushroom was 25±10C under in vitro conditions. Effect of pH range from 4 to 9 on the mycelial growth rate of monkey head mushroom was also studied. After 15 days of inoculation on PDA, maximum growth rate was found at 25±10C the on pH 8 i.e. 6.00 mm/day followed by pH 7 (5.64 mm/day) and pH 6 (5.51 mm/day), while the slowest mycelium growth rate was observed on pH 4 i.e. 2.64 mm/day.