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REVIEW article

Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol.
Sec. Fungal Pathogenesis
Volume 14 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1493532
This article is part of the Research Topic Applications of Fungi View all articles

The Treasured Giants: A Current Overview on Agricultural, Nutritional, Bioactive, and Economic Potential of Macrocybe Species (Agaricales, Basidiomycota)

Provisionally accepted
Thivanka M. Peiris Thivanka M. Peiris 1Menasha Perera Menasha Perera 1Helani H. Munasinghe Helani H. Munasinghe 1Kasun M. Thambugala Kasun M. Thambugala 1*Buddhika P. Dharmasena Buddhika P. Dharmasena 1Piyawan Suttiprapan Piyawan Suttiprapan 2RATCHADAWAN CHEEWANGKOON RATCHADAWAN CHEEWANGKOON 2*
  • 1 University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
  • 2 Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Macrocybe is a well-studied genus in the family Callistosporiaceae (Basidiomycota). Currently, the genus comprises eight species with worldwide distribution. All species in this genus are relatively large compared to other edible mushrooms and are commonly consumed by locals. Cultivation methodologies have been developed for several species of the genus, including M. gigantea, M. crassa, M. titans, and M. lobayensis. These mushrooms can be cultivated in lignocellulosic wastes such as sawdust, straw, and other agro-industrial wastes. The nutritional compositions have been identified for M. gigantea, M. crassa, and M. lobayensis, revealing that they are rich in fibers, proteins, and various vitamins. Although these mushrooms are of culinary significance, precautions should be taken when consuming them due to their potential cyanic toxicity. In addition to being rich in different nutrients, Macrocybe species possess medicinal properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and several other beneficial effects. Several species are commercially available in countries like China and Thailand, and the commercial potential is high due to the large size, taste, and long shelf life of these 2 mushrooms. There is significant potential for cultivating species of this genus and introducing their artificial cultivation practices to various counties worldwide. Diverse value-added products can also be produced using Macrocybe species.

    Keywords: commercial cultivation1, diversity2, edible mushrooms3, nutrient composition4, secondary metabolites5 Macrocybe species Distribution

    Received: 09 Sep 2024; Accepted: 28 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Peiris, Perera, Munasinghe, Thambugala, Dharmasena, Suttiprapan and CHEEWANGKOON. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Kasun M. Thambugala, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
    RATCHADAWAN CHEEWANGKOON, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

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