Intersterility groups of Pleurotus ostreatus complex in Iran

Abstract

Mating compatibility studies using Iranian collections of Pleurotus ostreatus complex revealed three intersterility species in Iran. Haploid and dikaryon isolates of Iranian intersterility groups were paired with tester strains and the results showed that intersterility groups of Iranian P. ostreatus complex are compatible with P. cornucopiae, P. ostreatus and P. pulmonarius. Morphological characteristics were not useful to distinguish Iranian collections of P. ostreatus and P. pulmonarius. The compatibility of different strains, produced as "P. sajor-caju" in mushroom farms, with P. ostreatus and P. pulmonarius showed confusion in the identity of "P. sajor-caju" commercial strains in Iran. Results also showed compatibility between commercial strains of the ambiguous species, P. florida, collected from mushroom farms with P. ostreatus testers. © 2012 Copyright 2012 Mycological Society of China.