Abstract

Fruit bodies of Lentinus were collected from subtropical climate of Andman & Nicobar Islands (India). Pure culture was prepared by tissue culture on Malt-extract-agar (MEA) medium at 25C±2C. The specimen was studied for its identification, taxonomy and phylogeny and identified as Lentinus sajor-caju by morphological and microscopical studies. The identification was confirmed through ITS 5.8S rDNA sequencing and sequence analysis. Its cultivation was done on saw dust and wheat bran. The fruit bodies were obtained at a temperature of 28±2°C and 80-85% RH. The cultivated Lentinus sajor-caju fruit bodies were analysed for nutritional and biological properties and observed that the cultivated mushroom has good nutritional properties while antioxidant, reducing and DPPH free radical scavenging properties are comparable to commercially cultivated Lentinula edodes strains.

Key words: Mushroom, Lentinus sajor-caju, Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Cultivation, Nutrition