EFFECT OF ORIENTATION ON THE MYCELIAL GROWTH OF Volvariella volvacea (Bul.) Singer

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to ascertain the effect of different orientations on the vegetative growth of the fungus Volvariella volvacea. Pure culture of V. volvacea was gotten from the fungal bank of the African Centre for Mushroom Research Technology Innovation (ACMTI), University of Benin, after which the culture media (PDA) was poured into several petri plates, which the pure culture of the V. volvacea was inoculated upon. This process was performed by puncturing the mycelial (pure culture) with an already sterilized cork borer and then the punctured part of the mycelial was collected carefully with an already sterilized loop and was inoculated at the center of the culture. They were taped and then transferred to the incubation room and positioned at different orientations, four plates were positioned faced down, another set was positioned upright, another set was positioned at an angle of 90°, and another set was positioned at an angle of 45°. The mycelial extension was taken after 24 hours for 4 days. In this study, it was observed that the vegetative growth of the orientations faced down and up grew faster than the ones positioned at 90° and 45° respectively, but the plates faced down, 90° and 45° were more denser than the plates facing up, while the slowest vegetative growth was recorded in 45°. From this study, we know that gravity can affect the vegetative growth of mushrooms. Further studies should be able to provide information on the effect of orientation on other aspects of the vegetative growth of the mushroom with special reference to spore production.