Copper accumulation & carpophoroids/sclerotial bodies formation at elevated copper level in Boletus edulis Bull. ex Fr.

During these investigations, studies were carried out to know the cultural characteristics & tolerance of Boletus edulis at different Cu concentration. Remarkably, this edible species has shown tolerance to high concentration of Cu. The fungus was found to require 400 ppm of Cu for optimum growth and also showed tolerance upto 1000 ppm of Cu. The fungus gave optimum growth and production of carpophoroids at 400 ppm and multiple sclerotial bodies at 600 ppm of Cu. Thereafter both of these gradually declined. The fungus did not form any carpophoroids/sclerotial bodies at 1000 ppm of Cu. Therefore, on the positive side, these results indicate that this fungus could be used for the biosorption in Cu contaminated sites as an alternate method to high cost metal absorption technologies being used for eco-restoration. Also, carpophoroids/sclerotial bodies formation at high Cu concentration might be a positive sign to evolve certain methodology for the commercial cultivation of this fungus. Otherwise on the negative side, high Cu tolerance could be limiting factor involving the potential risk for human health due to consumption of metal contaminated mushroom, but phyto-chelation stores these metals in detoxified form in mushroom.