Identification and Domestication of a Wild Edible Oyster Mushroom Growing on Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) in Mississippi

Abstract

The oyster mushroom is among the most extensively cultivated edible mushrooms worldwide. These mushrooms typically thrive on decaying broadleaf deciduous trees but are rarely found on conifers. A wild oyster mushroom strain was collected from pine trees in Mississippi. We characterized the strain using both morphological and molecular techniques. Pure cultures of this strain were obtained and utilized for spawn production, cultivation, genomic DNA extraction, and identification. Our research assessed the strains capacity to produce extracellular enzymes. The results demonstrated that the strain belonged to the species Pleurotus ostreatus (GenBank: PV750134).This fungal strain exhibited a significant ability to colonize lignocellulosic substrates derived from pine, such as logs and sawdust, as evidenced by the substantial production of laccase and cellulase enzymes. Pine logs yielded fruiting bodies approximately 60 days after inoculation. The mushroom strain, ASU_Pre_1-1, shows great potential for producing edible oyster mushrooms using pine wood waste in Mississippi.