Ethnomycological Knowledge of Three Ethnic Groups in Ethiopia

Antioxidant capacity of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm influenced by growth substrates

Functional constituents are the main concern in food production and consumption. Because foods rich in functional constituents have antioxidant capacity and are important in keeping consumers healthy. Pleurotus ostreatus is among foods rich in functional constituents. However, its functional constituents are affected by various factors. This study compared the antioxidant capacity of P. ostreatus grown on different substrates: straws of tef (Trt1), barley (Trt2), and wheat (Trt3), husks of faba bean (Trt4), and field pea (Trt5), sawdust (Trt6), and the mixture of the above with 1:1 w/w (Trt7). Trt7 had significantly higher radical scavenging activity (RSA) (73.27%), vitamin C (10.61 mg/100 g), and vitamin D (4.92 mg/100 g) compared to other treatments. Whereas the lowest values of RSA (44.24%), vitamin C (5.39 mg/100 g), and vitamin D (1.21 mg/100 g) were found in Trt2. The results indicated that mixed substrate may be a good growth substrate for functionally beneficial P. ostreatus and could be a promising source of natural antioxidants.

Mushroom-Related Ethnomycological, Ethnomedical, and Socio-Economic Practices in Nigeria

Native mushrooms are valuable non-timber forest products used worldwide, although they are under-exploited in Africa. This study focused on evaluating ethnomycological practices in Nigeria. The study was based on structured questionnaires in three of Nigeria's six geopolitical regions. Findings revealed that mycophagy is not a gender-based activity (P ≤ 0.05) in all the sites assessed. There were no significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) between the sites evaluated, but the responses were quite different. Most interviewees (75.6%) ate mushrooms. Mushrooms were predominantly associated with delicious taste, exotic aroma, and flavor (37.0%), a meat substitute (37.0%), medicinal resources (20.3%). Among the principal medicinal mushrooms are Lentinus squarrosulus, Pleurotus tuber-regium, Ganoderma lucidum, Auricularia auricula-judae, and Agaricus campestris. Among the most important edible mushrooms are L. squarrosulus and Termitomyces titanicus, Russula meleagris, A. campestris, and A. auricula-judae. The main edible and medicinal dual-use mushrooms are L. squarrosulus, P. tuber-regium, Lactifluus inversus, Polyporus officinalis, and T. titanicus. Women and children (78.2%) are the major collectors/gatherers of mushrooms. The mushrooms are utilized to treat skin problems (21.5%), high blood pressure (12.3%), as blood tonic (9.2%), to treat fever and measles (13.8%), and diabetes (13.1%). Preservation practices include mainly direct sun-drying (48.7%) or washing and then sun-drying (27.8%). Mushrooms are consumed with 'fufu' (cereal-boiled cakes) (48.0%), and 'gari' (cassava-boiled cakes) (15.7%). Mushrooms are often made in soup (44.1%), cooked with meat (15.3%), or with vegetables (28.0%). Respondents were able to differentiate between toxic mushrooms and were familiar with some mushroom-related myths.

Sociocultural drivers of mycological knowledge: insights from Wixarika and Mestizo groups in western Mexico

BACKGROUND

Traditional mycological knowledge (TMK) is complex, not distributed equally among the entire population, and constantly adapting to current social situations. There are sociocultural factors that could influence the fact that some people retain a greater wealth of knowledge, for instance, cultural affiliation, migration, occupation, level of schooling, and person's age.

METHODS

We analyze the distribution of the TMK based on sociocultural variables and 12 indicators to quantify the TMK based on a literature review. We chose two sites where there was a Wixarika and Mestizo population with records of use and consumption of wild mushrooms. In each site, 150 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The format of the semi-structured interviews was made up of sociocultural questions plus 12 questions corresponding to each of the indicators. With the data obtained, we performed linear regression tests and principal components analysis (PCA); furthermore, the significance of the groupings obtained by PCA was tested with a discriminant function analysis.

RESULTS

We find that TMK was determined by the cultural group to which a person belongs. Contrary to what was expected, age and formal schooling did not influence people's level of knowledge. Likewise, migration and occupation were not determining factors either, although in some specific cases they did influence the differences in knowledge about mushrooms between people. The indicators that most helped to differentiate between the Wixarika people, and the Mestizos were knowledge of the nutritional contribution, propagation methods, and knowledge about toxic mushrooms.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, sociocultural differences did not affect the transmission of the TMK due to the valorization of this knowledge among the young generations and the maintenance of the use of wild resources. Specifically, the Wixaritari had and preserved a greater TMK thanks to their pride in their cultural identity, which had allowed them to adapt to modernity while preserving their traditions and knowledge. On the other hand, the Mestizos increasingly disused wild resources due to urbanization. The indicators proposed here provided a good tool to quantify TMK; however, to replicate the study in other sites it is necessary to adapt the indicators to the context of the place.

Forest Type and Site Conditions Influence the Diversity and Biomass of Edible Macrofungal Species in Ethiopia

Ethiopian forests are rich in valuable types of non-wood forest products, including mushrooms. However, despite their nutritional, economic, and ecological importance, wild edible mushrooms have been given little attention and are rarely documented in Ethiopia. In this study, we assessed mushroom production levels in natural and plantation forests and the influence of climate and environmental variables on mushroom production. Sporocarps were sampled weekly from July to August 2019 at a set of permanent plots (100 m²) in both forest systems. We analyzed 63 plots to quantify sporocarp species’ richness and fresh weight as well as to elucidate the degree of influence of forest types and site conditions, including soil and climate. Morphological analyses were used to identify fungi. In total, we recorded 64 wild edible fungal species belonging to 31 genera and 21 families from the plots established in the natural and plantation forests. A significantly greater total number of edible fungi were collected from natural forests (n = 40 species) than from plantations. Saprotrophs (92.19%) were the dominant guild whereas ectomycorrhizal fungi represented only 6.25% of species. Ecologically and economically important fungal species such as Agaricus campestroides, Tylopilus niger, Suillus luteus, Tricholoma portentosum, and Morchella americana were collected. The sporocarp yield obtained from plantation forests (2097.57 kg ha⁻¹ yr^–1) was significantly greater than that obtained from natural forests (731.18 kg ha⁻¹ yr^–1). The fungal community composition based on sporocarp production was mainly correlated with the organic matter, available phosphorus, and total nitrogen content of the soil, and with the daily minimum temperature during collection. Accordingly, improving edible species’ richness and sporocarp production by maintaining ecosystem integrity represents a way of adding economic value to forests and maintaining biological diversity, while providing wood and non-wood forest products; we propose that this approach is imperative for managing Ethiopian forests.