Nutritional and environmental requirements for vegetative growth of edible ectomycorrhizal mushroom Tricholoma terreum

This study, providing basic and valuable information on nutritional and environmental requirements of Tricholoma terreum, was carried out between 2005 and 2008 to determine the most suitable medium and culture conditions such as temperature, pH, carbon and nitrogen sources for good mycelium growth. Different inoculum media containing peat and peat:vermiculite mixtures (1:4, 1:6, 1:8 and 1:10 v:v) were also investigated for vegetative inoculum production. The effects of potato dextrose agar, biotin aneurin folic acid agar, malt extract agar, modified Melin-Norkrans agar and modified M40 culture media on mycelial growth of T. terreum were found not to be significant. The best temperature and pH values for the mycelial growth were 25 degrees C and 4.5-6.0, respectively. All carbon sources except for sucrose having statistically significant effects on mycelium growth gave the best results in terms of mycelial growth. Malt extract, peptone and yeast extract were the most suitable nitrogen sources. The poorest mycelial growth was recorded in sucrose as a carbon source, and NH4NO3 and (NH4)(2)HPO4 as nitrogen sources. Among vegetative inoculum media, the best mycelial growth was found in 1:4 and 1:6 (v:v) peat:vermiculite mixtures.