Pleurotus mushrooms. Part I A. Morphology, life cycle, taxonomy, breeding, and cultivation

Pleurotus species represent a well-defined group of Basidiomyceteous fungi of the order Agaricales and family Tricholomataceae. They are characterized by the production of fruit bodies with an eccentric stalk and a wide cap shaped like an oyster shell, with the widest portion of the cap being away from the stalk. They grow over a wide range of temperatures and are able to colonize a wide spectrum of unfermented, natural, lignino-cellulosic wastes. Because of their fast mycelial growth rate, they colonize the substrates rapidly; the yield of fruit bodies is also high. The bifactorial inheritance, observed in many of the species, suggests the likelihood of a high degree of genetic variability, and, hence, considerable breeding potential. Pleurotus species can be grown on a commercial scale, without the need for composting and artificial conditioning of the ambient temperature. Aspects of basic and applied research--such as morphology, life cycle, taxonomy, breeding, and cultivation--leading to development of a "Pleurotus Technology" are dealt with here.