Bacteria associated with cultures of psathyrella atroumbonata (Pleger)and <i>Schizophyllum commune</i> (Fr.Ex.Fr)

Abstract

Studies were carried out on bacteria, which usually infect spawns and culture plates of Psathyrella atroumbonata (Pegler) and Schizophyllum commune (Fr. Ex. Fr.), two Nigerian edible mushrooms. During the vegetative propagation of these higher fungi, six different bacteria species were isolated and characterized from 14 day old spawns
and mycelial ramified PDA culture plates. These bacteria include Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus subtilis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. The average bacteria count was 1.0 x 106 cfu/ml and these bacteria grew within pH range of 5.0 and 9.0. the optimum temperature range of growth lied between 300C and 370C. The significance of these findings to the cultivation of P. atroumbonata and S. commune in Nigeria were discussed.