The challenge to artificial cultivation imitated termites of Termitomyces sp. subtropical edible mushroom

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23686
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0603:Forestry and forest products science, applied aquatic science, and related fields
• Research Institution: University of Miyazaki
• Principal Investigator: Harada Etsuko (石井栄津子) 宮崎大学, 農学部, 助教 (00576514)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: オオシロアリタケ / Termitomyces sp / 培養特性 / 人工栽培 / 分子生物学的検討 / 菌薗 / 機能性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As a result of collecting the fruiting bodies of Termitomyces sp. distributed on Ishigaki Island, Iriomote Island, and the main island of Okinawa, and conducting phylogenetic analysis, it was found that there are two types of Termitomyces sp. that grow naturally in Japan. As a basic study for artificial cultivation, mycelial growth tended to be better in a medium mainly composed of bark compost than in a wood sawdust medium. No effect of carbon dioxide was observed on mycelial growth. Microbial flora analysis of termite nests (the fungus comb), confirmed the presence of Xylaria escharoidea in fungi. Among the bacteria, it was found that there are many bacteria such as actinomycetes and rhizobia. The anti-cancer activity was confirmed as a functional study of mycelium.

Free Research Field

きのこ学、森林微生物学、菌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

アジアやアフリカに自生し濃厚な旨味を持つ高級食材である亜熱帯性食用担子菌オオシロアリタケ属菌（Termitomyces sp.）は、昆虫のパートナーとなり生活環を維持している共生菌であり、近年生理活性化合物の学術報告が相次いて発表されている注目の薬食用きのこである。本研究成果により、この世界中で人工栽培化が望まれているオオシロアリタケの子実体形成メカニズムの解明において、第一歩を踏み出すことができた。さらに、新たな機能性研究が見出された点からも、学術的、社会的意義がある。これまで謎に満ちたオオシロアリタケの人工栽培研究や機能性研究の道を拓き、産業、社会に与えるインパクトは極めて大きい。