International Journal of Science & Technology Volume 1, No 2, 99-103, 2006 Variations in the Isolates Obtained from Basidiospores of Commercial Mushroom Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) Erbil KALMIŞ 1 and Fatih KALYONCU 2 1 Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, 35100 Bornova-İzmir, TURKEY 2 Dept. of Biology, Faculty of Science and Art, Celal Bayar University, 45040 Muradiye-Manisa, TURKEY fatih.kalyoncu@bayar.edu.tr (Received: 21.11.2005; Accepted: 10.10.2006) Abstract: In this study, the effect of different culture media on the germination times of basidiospores and mycelium growth rates which belongs to Lentinula edodes was tried to determine. For this purpose basidiospores were obtained from three fruit bodies and they were transferred on to four different agar media. All basidiospores in the four different culture media were successfully germinated in 5-10 days. Germination time in water agar medium was found to be one or two days longer than other three culture media. Germinated spores in different culture media were transferred on to Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium to examine mycelial growth rates. Mycelial growth rates were measured on 15 th and 21 st days. Isolates obtained from potato dextrose agar medium showed faster growth rate than others. Keywords: Basidiospore germination, Lentinula edodes, Mycelial growth Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) Basidiosporlarından Elde Edilen İzolatlardaki Varyasyonlar Özet: Bu çalışmada farklı kültür ortamlarının Lentinula edodes’e ait basidiosporların çimlenme süreleri ve misel gelişimine olan etkileri belirlenmeye çalışılmıştır. Bu amaçla üç farklı şapkadan alınan basidiosporlar dört farklı kültür ortamına aktarılmışlardır. Aktarımı yapılan tüm basidiosporlar tüm kültür ortamlarında 5– 10 günlük süre içerisinde çimlenmelerini gerçekleştirmişlerdir. Su agar ortamına aktarılan basidiosporlar diğer kültür ortamlarına göre bir, iki gün daha geç çimlenmişlerdir. Farklı kültür ortamlarında çimlenen basidiosporlar misel gelişim hızlarının belirlenebilmesi için Patates Dekstroz Agar (PDA) ortamına aktarılmışlardır. İnkübasyonun 15. ve 21. günlerinde misel gelişimleri ölçülmüştür. Patates dekstroz agar orijinli miseller diğerlerine göre daha hızlı bir gelişim göstermişlerdir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Basidiospor çimlenmesi, Lentinula edodes, Misel gelişimi 1. Introduction Basidiospores which arise from basidium play a key role for the survival and dispersion of basidiomycetes as for other filamentous fungi in nature. Before germination initiates, some pre- conditions must be met. For example, a spore must have developed to a state in which it is capable of germination and must be mature [1]. When the basidiospores are germinated in appropriate conditions in nature or culture media, they form a new individual and mycelial colony. Mycelium from single spore progeny, homocaryon or heterocaryon, and its morphological characteristics are the most important and essential element for physiological, biochemical, and genetical research on mycelium [2]. Lentinula edodes is an edible and the second most important cultivated mushroom around the world [3]. Lentinula edodes is not only important because of its delicious flavour and nutritional value, but also has significant potential use in medicinal applications. Because of the above mentioned issues, large-scale production of mycelium of L. edodes for the industry such as medicinal, chemical, fermentation, and cultivation is very important. It is also a member of the basidiomycetes that have bifactorial heterothallic life cycle. In the heterothallism, mycelium from a single spore has to fuse with the mycelium originating from a compatible spore. It is important for scientists performing breeding