MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF WILD MUSHROOMS OF SIRRAN VALLEY, MANSEHRA PAKISTAN

Abstract

In the present research project, an attempt has been made to document and explore the diversity of wild mushroom flora of Siran valley District Mansehra kpk Pakistan, which stretches from 34.20° to the north and 73.12° to the east. Sampling sites including areas of siran valley Mansehra were visited during monsoon season 2021 and 2022 and several mushroom samples were collected from different localities.Eleven specimens were identified up to the species level using morpho-anatomical and molecular level identification tools. Macro- morphologically the species were described from the field data of fresh samples and various identification keys, anatomically by mounting dried parts on slides using various chemicals while molecular characterization was performed by amplifying rDNA-ITS region with couple of primers i-e ITS1F and ITS4 and phylogenetic trees were constructed to present their closest relationships. The research outcomes include eleven species namely Amanita pseudolignitincta nom. Prov, Phlegmacium mundiansis nom. prov, Cyclocybe mansehransis nom. Prov, Gymnopus mansehransis nom. Prov, Lactarius siransis nom. Prov, Chroogomphous mediteraneus, Hebeloma crustuliniforme, Russula adwanitakae, R. abbottabadensis, R. ahamadii and Neolentinus lepideus, belonging to eight families and nine genera. Among them Amanita pseudolignitincta nom. Prov, Cyclocybe mansehransis nom. Prov, Gymnopus mansehransis nom. Prov, Lactarius siransis nom. Prov and Phlegmacium mundiansis nom. prov are seems to be novel species. While Chroogomphous medditeranius is new record for Asia and two species Hebeloma crustuliniforme and Russula adwanitakae are new records for Pakistan. Russula abbottabadensis and Russula ahmadii are first time reported from study area while Neolentinus lepedius is already reported from study area as well as from other parts of the country. Our finding revealed that Siran valley Mansehra has a great diversity of mushrooms which are useful from both food and medicinal perspective. The current research just provides the initial glimpse towards the exploration of some areas of Mansehra so more extensive surveys are required to document the macro fungi of siran valley Mansehra.