Interactions between Xylotrophic Mushrooms and Mycoparasitic Fungi in Dual-Culture Experiments

Abstract

Seventeen wood-decaying mushroom species (Coriolus versicolor, Flammulina velutipes, Ganoderma sp.,
Hypholoma fasciculare, H. sublateritium, Kühneromyces mutabilis, Lentinula edodes, Lentinus tigrinus, Pholiota
alnicola, Ph. aurivella, Ph. destruens, Pleurotus cornucopiae, Pl. ostreatus, Polyporus subarcularius, Po. squamosus,
Po. varius and Schizophyllum commune) were paired with three Trichoderma species (T. harzianum, T. pseudokoningii,
and T. viride) and Clonostachys rosea in dual-culture experiments on an agar-based medium. Xylotrophic mushrooms
and mycoparasitic fungi in general showed similar competitive ability; deadlock, or mutual inhibition after mycelial
contact, was observed in 45.6% of pairings, while stable inhibition at a distance occurred in 4.4% of pairings. Replacement,
or overgrowth of xylotrophic mushroom by a mycoparasitic fungus was observed in 29.4% of pairings; the
opposite, overgrowth of the xylotrophic mushroom on the mycoparasitic fungus in 20.6%. of pairings. Of the xylotrophic
mushrooms, Pl. ostreatus, Ganoderma sp., F. velutipes and H. fasciculare, showed the highest competitive ability
against mycoparasitic fungi. Of the mycoparasitic fungi, T. harzianum showed the strongest competitive activity
against xylotrophic mushrooms.