Breeding of Pleurotus cornucopiae var. citrinopileatus for high quality fruiting body production

Abstract

To select superior strains of Pleurotus cornucopiae var. citrinopileatus adaptable to practical cultivation systems, we analyzed the characteristics of hybrid strains, including productivity and quality of the fruiting bodies. By comparing with the characteristics of two parental strains, 5 out of 204 different hybrid strains were selected. In the principle component analysis of the coexistence ratio of fruiting bodies with warped pilei, soft lower parts of the stipes, and immature fruiting bodies, we found that three of the selected strains had lower ratios of immature fruiting bodies and fruiting bodies with warped pilei than the control strains, 87-2 and 98-3. The other two strains had a lower ratio of soft lower parts of the stipes than the first three selected strains. These findings indicate that the selected strains had improved characteristics compared to the parental strains. In the fruiting bodies of the five selected strains and one parental strain, we also investigated the content of taste components, such as free amino acids and 5'-GMP. There was a significant difference in free amino acid and 5'-GMP contents among strains, indicating a significant difference in taste between strains. Finally, we performed repeat cultivation tests, and strain 291 was selected from the 5 selected strains for fruiting body production, as it produced fruiting bodies with high quality appearance.