Diversity and nutrient analysis of wild mushrooms in Chaukot, Panauti, Nepal

Abstract

Exploration on Mushroom is very less in comparison to other group of organism in the world. Research has shown that Mushroom has great nutritional value. This study aims to determine how important the soil pH, moisture and canopy cover which influence on growth of mushroom and nutrients present in it. Based on a review of the literature on macrofungal distribution and nutritional value, field visit between 1500-1700 m altitudinal range and chemical analysis research was done. Research analysis demonstrated that total of 68 mushroom was collected belonging Basidiomycota, Ascomycota and Mycetozoafrom community forest of Chaukot. Among mushroom species, most of the mushroom were of russulaceae family and agaricales order. Half of the mushroom were mycorrhizal and 16 species are edible. Dominant edible species Laccaria laccata and Scleroderma cepa was frequently used in local habitat and chosen to perform nutrient analysis. Chemical analysis of Mushroom such as determination of moisture, ash, protein, fiber, fat and carbohydrate as well as minerals like calcium, phosphorus and iron were done in National Food Research Center, Khumaltar. The quantitative estimation of moisture was done by oven dry method, fat by soxhlet extraction, protein by kjeldahl digestion method, ash by ignition method, carbohydrate by proximate analysis method, crude fiber by acid base digestion method, calcium by complexometric titration method, phosphorous by molybdenum blue method and iron by calorimetric method. Laccaria laccata had highest density and Hymenochaete rubiginosa was found to have highest abundance.The Shannon diversity index was 3.78 and Simpson diversity index was 0.97. Mushroom contained highest percentage of carbohydrate (54.93-60.42) % and lowest fat (0.38-0.55) % whereas microminerals phosphorus ranges from (424.9–507.72 mg/100 g), calcium (182.83-243.16 mg/100 g) and Iron (43.25– 48.14 mg/100 g). The result indicates state of soil and forest type show crucial role in growth and development of Mushroom. On this basis, it is recommended that tree canopy cover should be maintained to flourish Mushroom. Further research is needed for molecular identify that could help to know beneficiaries of mushroom. Keywords: Diversity index, Laccaria laccata, Mushroom, Scleroderma cepa