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Edible fungi crops through mycoforestry, potential for carbon negative food production and mitigation of food and forestry conflicts.

ABSTRACT: Demand for agricultural land is a potent accelerating driver of global deforestation, presenting multiple interacting issues at different spatiotemporal scales. Here we show that inoculating the root system of tree planting stock with edible ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) can reduce the food-forestry land-use conflict, enabling appropriately managed forestry plantations to contribute to protein and calorie production and potentially increasing carbon sequestration. Although, when compared to other food groups, we show that EMF cultivation is inefficient in terms of land use with a needed area of ~668 m² y kg^-1 protein, the additional benefits are vast. Depending on the habitat type and tree age, greenhouse gas emissions may range from -858 to 526 kg CO₂-eq kg^-1 protein and the sequestration potential stands in stark contrast to nine other major food groups. Further, we calculate the missed food production opportunity of not incorporating EMF cultivation into current forestry activities, an approach that could enhance food security for millions of people. Given the additional biodiversity, conservational and rural socioeconomic potential, we call for action and development to realize the sustainable benefits of EMF cultivation.

SUBMITTER: Thomas PW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10041105 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Edible fungi crops through mycoforestry, potential for carbon negative food production and mitigation of food and forestry conflicts.

Thomas Paul W PW Jump Alistair S AS

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20230313 12

Demand for agricultural land is a potent accelerating driver of global deforestation, presenting multiple interacting issues at different spatiotemporal scales. Here we show that inoculating the root system of tree planting stock with edible ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) can reduce the food-forestry land-use conflict, enabling appropriately managed forestry plantations to contribute to protein and calorie production and potentially increasing carbon sequestration. Although, when compared to other ...[more]

PMID: 36913576

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Project description:The yield and quality of cultivated food crops are frequently compromised by the prevalent threat from fungal pathogens that can cause widespread damage in both the pre-harvest and post-harvest stages. This paper investigates the challenges posed by fungal pathogens to the sustainability and yield of essential food crops, leading to significant economic and food security repercussions. The paper critiques the long-standing reliance on synthetic fungicides, emphasizing the environmental and health concerns arising from their widespread and occasionally inappropriate use. In response, the paper explores the potential of biological control agents, specifically endophytic fungi in advancing sustainable agricultural practices. Through their diverse symbiotic relationships with host plants, these fungi exhibit strong antagonistic capabilities against phytopathogenic fungi by producing various bioactive compounds and promoting plant growth. The review elaborates on the direct and indirect mechanisms of endophytic antagonism, such as antibiosis, mycoparasitism, induction of host resistance, and competition for resources, which collectively contribute to inhibiting pathogenic fungal growth. This paper consolidates the crucial role of endophytic fungi, i.e., Acremonium, Alternaria, Arthrinium, Aspergillus, Botryosphaeria, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Cevidencealdinia, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Gliocladium, Muscodor, Nigrospora, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Phomopsis, Pichia, Pochonia, Pythium, Ramichloridium, Rosellinia, Talaromyces, Trichoderma, Verticillium, Wickerhamomyces, and Xylaria, in biological control, supported by the evidence drawn from more than 200 research publications. The paper pays particular attention to Muscodor, Penicillium, and Trichoderma as prominent antagonists. It also emphasizes the need for future genetic-level research to enhance the application of endophytes in biocontrol strategies aiming to highlight the importance of endophytic fungi in facilitating the transition towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural systems.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi constitute a source of income as well as proper food with considerable nutritional value. Although edible EcM fungi are highly diverse and expected to host considerable nutritional attributes, only few studies focus on their use and promotion in the province of Tshopo (DR Congo). This study provides original ethnomycological and diversity data on edible ectomycorrhizal rainforest fungi from the Man-and-Biosphere reserve of Yangambi and the reserve of Yoko. METHODS:The list of edible fungi follows the current taxonomy. Taxa were collected in plots situated in different types of rainforests. Each taxon is supported by herbarium reference specimens. Ethnomycological data on locally consumed EcM fungi were collected from randomly selected people living near the Man-and-Biosphere reserve of Yangambi and the Yoko reserve. People were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The interview campaign involved 160 informants, all randomly selected from 6 different ethnic communities. RESULTS:The results reveal that rainforests from the Yangambi Biosphere reserve and Yoko forest reserve provide a relatively high number of edible fungi, more than local people actually use. Mixed forest stands hold the highest diversity in saprotrophic edible fungi (p value <?0.001) while no significant difference (p value >?0.05) was observed in the number of saprotrophic and EcM fungi within monodominant forests. In spite of being accessible, this renewable natural resource is underexploited. Although a wide array of EcM fungi is available in primary forests dominated by ectomycorrhizal trees, local people's major interest goes to the saprotrophic fungi from areas with degraded mixed forests. CONCLUSION:The lack of local interest for EcM fungi is probably related to the considerable distance people have to cover to collect them. As a result, the edible EcM fungi from the Tshopo area represent a potentially interesting but underutilized resource.

Dataset Information

Edible fungi crops through mycoforestry, potential for carbon negative food production and mitigation of food and forestry conflicts.

Publications

Edible fungi crops through mycoforestry, potential for carbon negative food production and mitigation of food and forestry conflicts.

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