Abstract:
Objective Differences between uni- and bi-nucleate mycelia of Pleurotus ostreatus were studied to aid the mushroom breeding and cultivation.
Method Monokaryons MK13 and MK3 were isolated from basidiospores of P. ostreatus TD300 and mated to obtain the dikaryotic DK300. Conventional plate and fruiting tests were applied to compare the mycelial growth and fruiting body yield of the 4 strains. Genetic differences of the strains were determined by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers.
Result There were no significant differences in mycelial growth and fruiting body yield between DK300 and TD300. However, a significant genetic difference existed between the offspring (i.e., MK13, MK3, and DK300) and parent TD300. The differences among MK13, MK3, and DK300 were minute, especially between MK3 and DK300.
Conclusion Gene recombination might occur during the basidiospore formation by meiosis, but less likely in the mating of two monokaryotic strains to generate a dikaryotic offspring.