Diversity of Wood-Inhabiting Macrofungi from District Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Mushroom mycoflora belong to kingdom Mycota (Fungi), which harbors the most diverse group of organisms after insects on earth. Since the beginning of time, macrofungi have drawn the attention of humans due to their peculiar and startling characteristics, such as their varied color, form, and size as well as the existence of gills and pores. Macrofungi also shows great diversity in their inhabiting behaviors encompassing saprobic and parasitic. In the present study, diversity of wood inhabiting macrofungi was surveyed in study area (Ayodhya). Findings exposed a total number of 30 macrofungal species belonging to 14 families. Morphological, microscopic, and macroscopic characters were recorded. Wood inhabiting macrofungi play important role in the biogeochemical cycle of ecosystems. It helps degrade the ligno-cellulosic waste materials and release nutrient back into the ecosystem. In addition to softening wood tissues, the degradation process of wood-growing macrofungi demonstrates collaboration with other micro-organisms.