Unlocking the Ecological and Molecular Characterization of Agaricales from Temperate Forests of Pakistan

Abstract

MUSHROOMS are a valuable group of fungi essential for their consumption and play a vital role in the ecosystem. Their fruiting bodies possess a variety in their shape, color, and ornamentation;these features are the reason for their identification. This study was carried out in Kumrat Valley, Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, to explore the ignored native flora ofPakistan and examine their detailed characterization. Fifteen species of order Agaricales were collected and characterized during the survey and sample collection. The highest percentage frequency (100%) was calculated in the case of Inocybe rimosa and Hygrocybe conica, while the lowest frequency (25%) was for Amanita species and developed a detailed Arc GIS map of the sampling site. DNA was isolated and amplified on PCR by using ITS primers. PCR products were sequenced and submitted to NCBI for accession numbers. A phylogenetic relationship between the species of the same order was made using Mega X. Similar studies are not common in Pakistan. Therefore, examining biodiversity and the different varieties of native mushrooms in forested areas of Pakistan is recommended.