[Investigations on the genetics of the basidiomycete Agrncybe aegerita : I. A correlation between the time of fruiting body production and monokaryotic fruiting and its importance for breeding and morphogenesis].

The wood-inhabiting Basidiomycete Agrocybe aegerita (Agaricaceae) can be easily grown under laboratory conditions. Its complete life cycle requires about 6 weeks, while dikaryons are able to form fruiting bodies within 3 weeks. Since the basidiospores (10×6 μm) can be isolated by hand, this organism is very well suited for genetic studies either by single strand or tetrad analysis. Thus we were able to work out the formal genetics of A. aegerita, the mating relations of which are controlled by the tetrapolar mechanism of homogenic incompatibility.Within the monokaryotic offspring of a dikaryon isolated from nature we found a considerable variation in the time of fruiting in compatible matings, some failed to fruit even after 42 d. In order to quantify this criterion, we have developed for monokaryotic strains the parameter "fruiting potency", in which the only variable is the time required for fruiting body production in the resulting dikaryotic stocks.Similar variability has been found for the ability of monokaryons to show monokaryotic fruiting. Three types of this qualitative criterion have been identified : non-fruiters, non-fruiters with fruiting body initials, and monokaryotic fruiters. The latter produce small fruiting bodies, the basidia of which predominantly carry only two spores.Since Agrocybe aegerita belongs to the edible mushrooms, we have attempted to improve fruiting body production in order to obtain material for use in commercial production. As a selected example for concerted breeding we have used the criterion of fruiting potency starting from a single fruiting body. We were able to show that by selection and recombination within a small inbreeding population, in only four generations the fruiting potency could be markedly enhanced. In a parallel set of experiments as a control, we also showed that the opposite effect, a decrease in fruiting potency, could be achieved in only three generations. It became evident that A. aegerita is very well suited to applied research with respect to breeding for commercial use. In evaluating these data we have found a statistically significant correlation between fruiting potency and monokaryotic fruiting. The implications of the latter for the general understanding of genetic control of morphogenesis becomes evident.