Classification of Fungi

Fungi Classification and Reproductive Type

Prior to the development of the microscope in the 1600s, the only fungi described was the higher fungi that have large fruiting structures, such as mushrooms, morels, and puffballs. The first scientific describe of fungi was given by Pier Antonio Michelli, an Italian Botanist, in his work Nova Plantarum Genera (1729). In 1836 the study of fungi was termed mycology. Because fungi and bacteria were for years considered more similar to plants than to animals, mycology has traditionally been a branch of botany.

Many Kind of Fungi

Evolution of Fungi

Fossil records reveal that fungi occurred in the early periods; however, that record is sparse, and most phylogenetic speculations have been based on comparisons of living species. As a result, the evolutionary relationships are still not clear. It is generally accepted that fungi arose as more than one phylogenetic branch from flagellated protistan ancestors.

Live Cycle of Fungi

Taxonomy of Fungi

Groups of fungi are classified according to their methods of sexual reproduction, types of life cycle growth forms, and method of asexual propagation. Because the fossil record is inadequate, no single classification scheme is accepted by all mycologist; changes continue to be made, peculiarly at lower levels, it is now generally agreed, however, that the major fungi groups should be classified in a kingdom Fungi (Mycetae), separate from plants and animals. Most mycologist group plasmodial organisms in the division Myxomycota (or Gymnomycota) and all others in either one division, the Eumycota (true fungi), or in two divisions, the Mastigomycota (with flagellate spores) and Amastigomycota (with nonflagellate spores). 

Other kind of fungi reproduction on fungi taxonomy are asexual reproduction of fungi that most impotant point on this fungi reproduction and more useful on fungi industrial on producing fungi seed.

Volvariela Volvacea, Paddy Mushroom

Many kind of fungi that can grow on this earth but some of them usually grow on the waste of paddy steam. This mushroom called as Paddy mushroom. Paddy mushroom or in Greek name as Volvariela Volvacea, commonly cultivated by farmer to get benefit from this mushroom. Paddy mushroom will life in warm and humid climate, so in tropical season like in Indonesia will better if cultivate in rainy season by protect the cultivation media from rain water. The climate itself already suitable because it very humid.

Paddy mushroom may any other species that commonly grow on paddy stem like Coprinus but this mushroom is not cultivated because not delicious and don't have meat body and usually grow very small. Coprinus also as the contaminated mushroom because this mushroom have faster grow than volvariela volvacea. So the media will finished fastly and not fertile anymore.

Wood Fungi

There are many kind of wood fungi. Some can be eaten and others can poisonous. Some of the example of wood fungi as on the pictures below:

Tremetes versicolor (Turkey tail porebracket)
Trametes versicolor is a wood rotting polypore that grows on the side of felled oak logs and other dead or drying hardwoods.

Favolaschia calocera (Orange Poreconch)
Orange pore fungus is an introduced tropical species in the Mycenaceae family in Madagascar, New Zealanad, Italy and Australia.

Orange poreconch gills ( Lamellae)

Auricularia cornea (wood ear fungi)
Normally found on dead wood, or on dead parts of living trees. This fungi is edible and used in Chinese dishes. It was exported from New Zealand, mainly from the Taranaki area in the later part of 1800’s by Chinese man called Chew Chong.

Difficulty Level of Cultivating Mushroom

The difficulty level of cultivating edible mushroom as follows:

• Oyster mushroom is the lowest level on grading of difficulty to cultivate mushroom.
• Button mushroom is on the second lowest level of this grading
• Shitake mushrrom is the next difficulty of cultivating muchroom
• Different place of mushroom, mean mushroom from different climate is difficult to cultivate in your place this is often be failed.

Some warm mushrooms, e.g. Volvariella volvacea (Straw mushrooms) and Pleurotus sajor-caju (Oyster mushrooms) are relatively fast growing organisms and can be harvested in 3 to 4 weeks after spawning. It is a short return agricultural business and can be of immediate benefit to the community.

Mushroom farming is both a science and an art. The science is developed through research the art is perfected through curiosity and practical experience. However, mushroom farming is a business which requires precision. Indeed, it is not as simple as what some people often loosely stipulate. It calls for adherence to precise procedures. If you ignore one critical step, you are inviting trouble, which could lead to a substantially reduced mushroom crop yield. For example, if you fail to adjust the pH of the substrate to a critical level required by the specific mushroom species your are cultivating, or if you do not properly pasteurize the substrate (to free the mushroom spawn of other moulds and various bacteria), your planted mushroom could be outcompeted by unwanted, intrusive micro-organisms.