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Edible and Medicinal Macrofungi, 4th Edition
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Edible and Medicinal Macrofungi, 4th Edition

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 5620

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ruilin Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Interests: diversity and systematics of macrofungi; evolutionary genomics; molecular biology of mushrooms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ling Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: fungal secondary metabolites; marine natural products; drug discovery; genome mining; biosynthesis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fungi with large fruiting bodies that can be identified by the naked eye are generally referred to as macrofungi. Taxonomically, most macrofungi species come from the Basidiomycota division and a few come from Ascomycota, and, up to now, around 40,000 species have been described. Macrofungi are closely related to economic activities. Humans have a long history of using macrofungi for food and medicine. A fungus is a “natural chemical factory”; with the deepening of fungus-related research, a large number of species and new active components have been found, and fungi have become one of the innovative powers at work in drugs and health products, especially with the development of biochemistry, enzyme engineering, genetic engineering, and macrofungi in food, medicine, and other areas, which show their wide-ranging prospects. In this Special Issue, we will provide a platform for the advances being made in our understanding of the biodiversity, resource, evolution, biology, and biochemistry of edible and medicinal macrofungi (EMM).

This Special Issue will cover, but is not limited to, content focused on the following:

  • The taxonomy and diversity of EMM;
  • The phylogeny, phylogeography, and evolution of EMM;
  • The molecular biology of EMM;
  • The bioactive compounds of EMM.

Prof. Dr. Ruilin Zhao
Dr. Ling Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mushroom
  • evolution
  • phylogeny
  • biology
  • bioactive compound

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 914 KB  
Article
Species Diversity and Resource Status of Macrofungi in Beijing: Insights from Natural and Urban Habitats
by Dong-Mei Liu, Shi-Hui Wang, Ke Wang, Jia-Xin Li, Wen-Qiang Yang, Xi-Xi Han, Bin Cao, Shuang-Hui He, Wei-Wei Liu and Rui-Lin Zhao
J. Fungi 2025, 11(8), 607; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11080607 - 21 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1071
Abstract
This study systematically documented macrofungal diversity in Beijing, China (field surveys conducted from 2020 to 2024) using line-transect and random sampling. A total of 1056 species were identified, spanning 2 phyla, 7 classes, 25 orders, 109 families, and 286 genera. The inventory includes [...] Read more.
This study systematically documented macrofungal diversity in Beijing, China (field surveys conducted from 2020 to 2024) using line-transect and random sampling. A total of 1056 species were identified, spanning 2 phyla, 7 classes, 25 orders, 109 families, and 286 genera. The inventory includes 12 new species, 456 new records for Beijing, 79 new records for China, and comprises 116 edible, 56 edible–medicinal, 123 medicinal, and 58 poisonous species. Among these, 542 species were assessed against China’s Macrofungi Redlist, revealing eight species needing conservation attention (seven Near Threatened, one Vulnerable). Analysis revealed stark differences in dominant taxa between natural ecosystems (protected areas) and urban green spaces/parks. In natural areas, macrofungi are dominated by 31 families (e.g., Russulaceae, Cortinariaceae) and 47 genera (e.g., Russula, Cortinarius). Ectomycorrhizal lineages prevailed, highlighting their critical role in forest nutrient cycling, plant symbiosis, and ecosystem integrity. In urban areas, 10 families (e.g., Agaricaceae, Psathyrellaceae) and 17 genera (e.g., Leucocoprinus, Coprinellus) were dominant. Saprotrophic genera dominated, indicating their adaptation to decomposing organic matter in human-modified habitats and the provision of ecosystem services. The study demonstrates relatively high macrofungal diversity in Beijing. The distinct functional guild composition—ectomycorrhizal dominance in natural areas versus saprotrophic prevalence in urban zones—reveals complementary ecosystem functions and underscores the conservation value of protected habitats for maintaining vital mycorrhizal networks. These findings provide fundamental data and scientific support for regional biodiversity conservation and sustainable macrofungal resource development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible and Medicinal Macrofungi, 4th Edition)
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15 pages, 2357 KB  
Article
Dynamics of Nutrient Components and Microbial Communities in Substrates During the Development of the Fruiting Bodies of Volvariella volvacea
by Le Wang, Qin Dong, Qian Guo, Lei Zha, Lin Yang, Changxia Yu and Yan Zhao
J. Fungi 2025, 11(7), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11070479 - 24 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1167
Abstract
Cotton waste, a growth medium for Volvariella volvacea, has significant commercial and nutritional value. Under controlled environmental conditions, substrate nutrient composition and microorganisms affect the growth of V. volvacea. In this study, the changes in the nutrient content of the substrate [...] Read more.
Cotton waste, a growth medium for Volvariella volvacea, has significant commercial and nutritional value. Under controlled environmental conditions, substrate nutrient composition and microorganisms affect the growth of V. volvacea. In this study, the changes in the nutrient content of the substrate at different stages of fruiting body development were compared based on an 86% waste cotton substrate, and microbial diversity was studied via 16S rRNA analysis. The results indicated that there were significant differences in nutrient content in the substrate at different stages of fruiting body development. The total contents of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus initially increased but then decreased due to nutrient absorption and utilization by V. volvacea. It was also found that large amounts of organic nitrogen decomposed into more readily utilizable inorganic nitrogen. The nutritional content and microbial community structure of the substrate during the egg stage significantly differed from those during the other four stages, making the egg stage the most critical period in cultivation. Through correlation analysis between nutrient content and microbial differences, it was found that differential microbial taxa (Beijerinckiaceae, Burkholderiales, Chitinophaga jiangningensis, etc.) with nitrogen fixation, denitrification, and cellulose decomposition functions were significantly related to carbon- and nitrogen-related indicators such as nitrate nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, and alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen. These microorganisms play important roles in determining the variation in the nutritional profile of the substrate. This study provides a theoretical basis for promoting the absorption and utilization of nutrients by V. volvacea by altering the structure of the microbial community of the growth substrate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible and Medicinal Macrofungi, 4th Edition)
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25 pages, 18127 KB  
Article
Mycelium Growth and Development of Psilocybe spp. Mother Cultures on Agar-Based Media
by Marco Pepe, Mohsen Hesami, Livia Fleishmann, Tom Hsiang and Andrew Maxwell Phineas Jones
J. Fungi 2025, 11(6), 450; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11060450 - 13 Jun 2025
Viewed by 2318
Abstract
The resurgence of interest in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin-producing mushrooms has recently led to numerous research and commercialization efforts. Due to its ease of cultivation and high potency, Psilocybe is the primary genus of interest, and there is a growing need to [...] Read more.
The resurgence of interest in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin-producing mushrooms has recently led to numerous research and commercialization efforts. Due to its ease of cultivation and high potency, Psilocybe is the primary genus of interest, and there is a growing need to standardize maintenance, proliferation, and cultivation techniques for efficient and consistent production. The investigation of mycelial growth and development on agar-based media is of principal importance to regulate and optimize mycelium growth and preservation protocols for subsequent fruiting body development. The current investigation is the first to examine the mycelial growth and morphology of four Psilocybe genotypes cultured on different agar-based media. The results from this simple set of experiments provides the foundation for future optimization studies. Ultimately, the information presented can be used to develop genotype-specific mycelial growth and development practices that will shape the future of psychedelic mushroom production for clinical and industrial applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible and Medicinal Macrofungi, 4th Edition)
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Review

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32 pages, 5250 KB  
Review
Artificial Intelligence in Edible Mushroom Cultivation, Breeding, and Classification: A Comprehensive Review
by Muharagi Samwel Jacob, Anran Xu, Keqing Qian, Zhengxiang Qi, Xiao Li and Bo Zhang
J. Fungi 2025, 11(11), 758; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11110758 - 22 Oct 2025
Viewed by 517
Abstract
Edible mushrooms have gained global popularity due to their nutritional value, medicinal properties, bioactive compounds and industrial applications. Despite their long-standing roles in ecology, nutrition, and traditional medicine, their additional functions in cultivation, breeding, and classification processes are still in their infancy due [...] Read more.
Edible mushrooms have gained global popularity due to their nutritional value, medicinal properties, bioactive compounds and industrial applications. Despite their long-standing roles in ecology, nutrition, and traditional medicine, their additional functions in cultivation, breeding, and classification processes are still in their infancy due to technological constraints. The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies has transformed the cultivation process of mushrooms, genetic breeding, and classification methods. However, the analysis of the application of AI in the mushroom production cycle is currently scattered and unorganized. This comprehensive review explores the application of AI technologies in mushroom cultivation, breeding, and classification. Four databases (Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, and PubMed) and one search engine (Google Scholar) were used to perform a thorough review of the literature on the utility of AI in various aspects of the mushroom production cycle, including intelligent environmental control, disease detection, yield prediction, germplasm characterization, genotype–phenotype integration, genome editing, gene mining, multi-omics, automatic species identification and grading. In order to fully realize the potential of these edge-cutting AI technologies in transforming mushroom breeding, classification, and cultivation, this review addresses challenges and future perspectives while calling for interdisciplinary approaches and multimodal fusion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible and Medicinal Macrofungi, 4th Edition)
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