Influence of Pholiota spp. (Strophariaceae, Basidiomycote) mycelial biomass on seed germination and seedlings growth of Lepidum sativum L. and Cucumis sativus L.

Basidiomycetes represent a very diverse group of eukaryotic organisms in terms physiological parameters. Some organisms such as plants or fungi release certain secondary metabolites, which can affect the organisms around them. Some of the substances released by mushrooms could have effects on the growth and further development of nearby plants. Studies of fungi and their biologically active components have grown significantly, with the aim of potential introduction to various biotechnological processes.The allelopathic effect of Pholiota species has been investigated in this study. Mycelial biomass of seven screened Pholiota species were tested to study cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and lettuce (Lepidium sativum L.) seed germination and the sprouting growth. The results of our experiment showed that the biomass of the species of the genus Pholiota did not affect the germination of seeds of both plant species. 100% seed germination was recorded in both control and experimental samples. The addition of mycelial biomass of the Pholiota species led to a suppressive allelopathic effect, which affects seed germination, the length of the studied plant (both shoots and roots), as well as changes the morphology of the roots (pubescence, changes in lateral roots). The inhibitory effect on sprouting length was 8,6%-87,1% in the case of C. sativus and 42,2%-91,8% if specify for L. sativum in depence on Pholiota species. Allelopathic properties of Pholiota subochracea, where sprouting growth ratio did not exceed 12.9%, compared to the control group, should be noted. This result suggests that Pholiota mushrooms have a significant regulatory effect on lettuce and cucumber sprouting growth. The given results suggest that the studied species may play a significant role in relationships within ecosystems.