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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant BASF SE submitted two requests to the competent national authority in Spain and Ireland to modify the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for the active substance fluxapyroxad in kaki/Japanese persimmons and in cultivated fungi, respectively. The data submitted in support of the requests were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for kaki/Japanese persimmons and cultivated fungi. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of fluxapyroxad on the commodities under consideration at the validated LOQ of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short‐term and long‐term intake of residues resulting from the use of fluxapyroxad, according to the reported agricultural practices, is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health. The long‐term consumer risk assessment is indicative, pending the submission of the confirmatory data requested under the MRL review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushroom consumption has increased in recent years due to their beneficial properties to the proper functioning of the body. Within this framework, the high potential of mushrooms as a source of essential elements has been reported. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the mineral content of seven essential metals, Fe, Mg, Mn, P, K, Ca, and Na, in twenty samples of mushrooms of the genus Lactarius collected from various locations in southern Spain and northern Morocco, by FAAS, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and ICP-OES after acid digestion. Statistics showed that K was the macronutrient found at the highest levels in all mushrooms studied. ANOVA showed that there were statistically significant differences among the species for K, P, and Na. The multivariate study suggested that there were differences between the accumulation of the elements according to the geographic location and species. Furthermore, the intake of 300 g of fresh mushrooms of each sample covers a high percentage of the RDI, but does not meet the recommended daily intake (RDI) for any of the metals studied, except for Fe. Even considering these benefits, the consumption of mushrooms should be moderated due to the presence of toxic metals, which may pose health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand and interest in mushrooms, both cultivated and wild, has increased among consumers in recent years due to a better understanding of the benefits of this food. However, the ability of wild edible mushrooms to accumulate essential and toxic elements is well documented. In this study, a total of eight metallic elements and metalloids (chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se)) were determined by ICP-MS in five wild edible mushroom species (Agaricus silvicola, Amanita caesarea, Boletus aereus, Boletus edulis, and Russula cyanoxantha) collected in southern Spain and northern Morocco. Overall, Zn was found to be the predominant element among the studied species, followed by Cu and Se. The multivariate analysis suggested that considerable differences exist in the uptake of the essential and toxic elements determined, linked to species-intrinsic factors. Furthermore, the highest Estimated Daily Intake of Metals (EDIM) values obtained were observed for Zn. The Health Risk Index (HRI) assessment for all the mushroom species studied showed a Hg-related cause of concern due to the frequent consumption of around 300 g of fresh mushrooms per day during the mushrooming season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radioactive isotope, 40K, of naturally occurring potassium (0.012%) is present in the Earth's crust in a low percentage of all potassium, leading to its presence in almost all foodstuffs. The impact of 40K activity concentrations was assessed in wild and cultivated edible mushrooms and in growing substrates. Samples were analysed by gamma spectroscopy. In the wild mushroom species, the average activity concentration of 40K was 1291 Bq kg−1 dry weight (dw), approximately 140 Bq kg−1 fresh weight (fw), with a range of average values per species from 748 in Lactarius deliciosus to 1848 Bq kg−1 dw in Tricholoma portentosum. The cultivated species presented an average value of 1086 Bq kg-1 dw; and the soils, compost of cultivation and wood of substrate are 876, 510 and 59.4 Bq kg−1 dw, respectively. The total K content reached a maximum of 59,935 mg kg−1 dw in T. portentosum. The transfer factors (TF > 1) suggested that mushrooms preferentially bioconcentrated 40K. Cantharellus cibarius, Craterellus tubaeformis, Hydnum repandum and T. portentosum by most TF could be considered as bioindicators of 40K. Taking into account that the annual radiation dose of 40K due to the average consumption of mushrooms analysed (0.15 μSv/year) is very low, it can be concluded that the consumption of these mushrooms does not represent a toxicological risk for human health. Finally, according to the total K content, from the nutritional point of view, these mushrooms could be considered as a potential source of potassium for the human diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Predictive models shed light on aboveground fungal yield dynamics and can assist decision-making in forestry by integrating this valuable non-wood forest product into forest management planning. However, the currently existing models are based on rather local data and, thus, there is a lack of predictive tools to monitor mushroom yields on larger scales. Results: This work presents the first empirical models for predicting the annual yields of ectomycorrhizal mushrooms and related ecosystem services in Pinus sylvestris and Pinus pinaster stands in northern Spain, using a long-term dataset suitable to account for the combined effect of meteorological conditions and stand structure. Models were fitted for the following groups of fungi separately: all ectomycorrhizal mushrooms, edible mushrooms and marketed mushrooms. Our results show the influence of the weather variables (mainly precipitation) on mushroom yields as well as the relevance of the basal area of the forest stand that follows a right-skewed unimodal curve with maximum predicted yields at stand basal areas of 30–40 m2∙ha− 1. Conclusion: These models are the first empirical models for predicting the annual yields of ectomycorrhizal mushrooms in Pinus sylvestris and Pinus pinaster stands in northern Spain, being of the highest resolution developed to date and enable predictions of mushrooms productivity by taking into account weather conditions and forests' location, composition and structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agaricus subrufescens Peck is a basidiomycete with immunomodulatory compounds and antitumor activities. This research evaluated the mycochemical composition of A. subrufescens, considering their morphological and physiological stage of maturity, with a particular focus on the development of a traceability process for the formulation of new nutritional products based on fungal foods. The stipes contained a high amount of dry matter (10.33%), total carbohydrate (69.56%), available carbohydrate (63.89%), and energy value (363.97 kcal 100 g−1 DM). The pilei contained a high amount of moisture (90.66%), nitrogen (7.75%), protein (33.96%), ash (8.24), crude fat (2.44%), acid detergent fiber (16.75 g kg−1), neutral detergent fiber (41.82 g kg−1), hemicellulose (25.07 g kg−1), and lignin (9.77 g kg−1). Stipes with mature physiological stage had higher values of dry matter (10.50%), crude fiber (5.94%), total carbohydrate (72.82%), AC (66.88%), and energy value (364.91 kcal 100 g−1 DM). Pilei of the mushrooms in the immature physiological stage had higher values of P (36.83%), N (8.41%), and A (8.44%). Due to the differences between the mycochemical compositions of the morphological parts of mushrooms linked to their physiological stage of maturity, such characteristics have immense potential to be considered for a traceability process. This study can be used for the purpose of providing the consumer with more product diversity, optimizing bioactivities of composts, and allowing farmers an efficient and profitable use of the mushroom biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at describing post-fire mushroom production in a Mediterranean ecosystem dominated by Pinus pinaster Ait. in the northwest of Spain and assessing the results by classificatory models. During the autumn periods of 2003-2006, fruit bodies from 115 fungal taxa were collected in burned and unburned areas and were further grouped into the following categories: saprotrophic/mycorrhizal; and edible/non-edible. After wildfires, a significant reduction in the number of fungal species and fruit body biomass production was observed. Based on this relevant information, the first simple classificatory model for this aim is provided. Nine alternative models based on classifications according to combinations of edibility and functional groups were fitted, and four fruiting body biomass production classes were defined as possible responses. As explanatory factors, time after fire and climatic variables significantly related to fruit body production were included. The best predictive results were obtained for edible and edible-mycorrhizal models, for which the correct classification rate of production classes was between 92 and 85 %. Moreover, the models obtained were applied to analyse the effect of time after fire on fungal production. Mycorrhizal and edible fungal production after fire was classified into the lowest class, whereas saprotrophic and non-edible species followed a contrary trend. The classificatory models can be useful to optimise management and harvest of these increasingly appreciated non-timber forest resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu was the major element found in the M. procera samples followed by Zn. • The TF calculation confirmed a greater tendency for metal and metalloid accumulation in the caps. • No significant differences in metal and metalloid content between the geographical areas studied. • Concern due to frequent consumption of Cr, Cd, As, and Hg was observed. Anthropogenic activities, such as mining and fossil fuel combustion, produce large amounts of pollutants that affect environmental homeostasis. Wild edible mushrooms fructify exposed to environmental conditions, proving to be efficient accumulators of trace elements and toxic and potentially toxic elements. Due to the increasing consumption of mushrooms worldwide, this is of public health concern. In this work, the total content of chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) was determined by ICP-MS in the caps and stipes of the high valued wild edible mushroom Macrolepiota procera collected in several locations of the South of Spain and the North of Morocco. The results obtained have indicated that the cap of M. procera contains a broad spectrum of both toxic elements and trace elements, occurring in higher contents in this part of the fruiting body with respect to the stipe. Moreover, Cu was the predominant element found in the samples studied, followed by Zn in most of the cases. The one-way ANOVA/Kruskal-Wallis test indicated that there were no significant differences in metal and metalloid content between the geographical areas studied. In addition, the results obtained through Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) support the conclusions drawn through univariate statistical studies, indicating that there is no obvious clustering trend for the M. procera cap samples based on the sampling area. The health risk assessment for M. procera caps showed a cause for concern related to Cr, Cd, As, and Hg due to frequent consumption of around 300 g of fresh caps per day during the mushrooming season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two spent mushroom substrates (fresh, F-SMS, and composted in aerobic conditions, C-SMS) were annually applied for 4 yr at two different rates (8 and 25 Mg ha-1 as dry matter) to a vineyard soil (Typic Haploxerept) located near Logroño (Ebro Valley, La Rioja, Spain). Soil samples were collected at three depths (0-5, 5-15 and 15-25 cm), and analyzed for soil organic carbon (SOC), water-soluble carbon (WSC), potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN), Due to image rights restrictions, multiple line equation(s) cannot be graphically displayed. and exchangeable Due to image rights restrictions, multiple line equation(s) cannot be graphically displayed. , microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil C02 evolution (SR), β-glucosidase activity (CLU) and soil mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates and water-stable aggregates (WSA). The highest rate of F-SMS and C-SMS (25 Mg ha-1) increased SOC, total nitrogen ( Total N), and labile organic forms (WSC and PMN) at 0- to 5- and 5- to 15-cm soil depth and microbiological activity (MBC and GLU) at 5- to 15-cm soil depth. There were no differences in soil C02 emissions between F-SMS and C-SMS amendments. Applications of SMS did not increase the soil aggregation but increased the content of inorganic N in the soil surface (0- to 5-cm depth) layer. Factor analysis showed the positive relationship between labile organic matter fractions and N availability. Finally, application of SMS to semiarid vineyard soils facilities SMS recycling with simultaneous improvement in soil quality indicators related to labile organic matter and microbiologic activity. However, increased PMN and soil Due to image rights restrictions, multiple line equation(s) cannot be graphically displayed. indicate a potential risks for N leaching from SMS amendments that should be further evaluated. INSET: 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Picking forest mushrooms is an increasingly valued leisure time activity in many regions of the world. In Northeastern Spain edible mushrooms such as Lactarius deliciosus (saffron milk caps) are highly appreciated, stimulating interest in the multiple factors that influence their production. Topographic factors (altitude, slope and aspect), weather conditions and stand characteristics (tree species, stand density and tree age) are the main factors influencing mushroom production. Of these, only stand characteristics can be modified by means of forest management. The objective of the present work is to assess the influence of thinning on the production of Lactarius delicious group sporocarps in an even-aged Pinus pinaster forest in Northeastern Spain. A total of 30 plots with a basal area reduction ranging from 0% to 77% were established in 2008 and monitored during the autumn mushroom seasons of 2009 and 2010. Fifteen non-thinned plots were also surveyed in 2008. The results show a clear positive response of saffron milk cap production to forest thinning. Production was five times greater in plots in the first year after thinning and two times greater in the second year, as compared to the non-thinned plots. Thinning intensity and precipitation during August and September were the most significant factors explaining the annual yield of Lactarius group deliciosus sporocarps. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The persistence, mobility and degradation of tebuconazole were assessed under field conditions in a sandy clay loam soil amended with spent mushroom substrate (SMS) at two rates. The aim was to evaluate the environmental impact of the simultaneous application of SMS and fungicide in a vineyard soil. SMS is the pasteurized and composted organic material remaining after a crop of mushroom is produced. SMS is generated in increasing amounts in La Rioja region (Spain), and could be used as soil amendment in vineyard soils, where fungicides are also applied in large amounts. The study was carried out in 18 experimental plots (6 treatments and 3 replicates per treatment) over one year. Laboratory experiments were also conducted to verify the changes over time in the adsorption of fungicide by soils and in soil dehydrogenase activity caused by the fungicide and/or SMS. Tebuconazole dissipation followed biphasic kinetics with a rapid dissipation phase, followed by a slow dissipation phase. Half-life (DT50) values ranged from 8.2 to 12.4 days, with lower DT50 for amended soils when compared to the non-amended controls. The distribution of tebuconazole through the soil profile (0–50cm) determined at 124, 209 and 355 days after its application indicated the higher mobility of fungicide to deeper soil layers in amended soils revealing the influence of solid and dissolved organic matter from SMS in this process. Tebuconazole might be available for biodegradation although over time only chemical or photochemical degradation was evident in surface soils. The results obtained highlight the interest of field and laboratory data to design rational applications of SMS and fungicide when they are jointly applied to prevent the possible risk of water contamination. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Multiple-use forestry requires comprehensive planning to maximize the utilization and sustainability of many forest resources whose growth and productivity are interconnected. Forest fungi represent an economically important nonwood forest resource that provides food, medicine, and recreation worldwide. A vast majority of edible and marketed forest mushrooms belong to fungi that grow symbiotically with forest trees. To respond to the need for planning tools for multiple-use forestry, we developed empirical models for predicting the production of wild mushrooms in pine forests in the South-Central Pyrenees using forest stand and site characteristics as predictors. Mushroom production and species richness data from 45 plots were used. A mixed modelling technique was used to account for between-plot and between-year variation in the mushroom production data. The most significant stand structure variable for predicting mushroom yield was stand basal area. The stand basal area associated with maximum mushroom productivity (15–20 m2·ha–1) coincides with the peak of annual basal area increment in these pine forests. Other important predictors were slope, elevation, aspect, and autumn rainfall. The models are aimed at supporting forest management decisions and forecasting mushroom yields in forest planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production and quality parameters of three commercial strains of cultivated mushroom Agaricus bisporus (Lange, Imbach) were evaluated. A correlation matrix was made between the main parameters. Blancochamp BL-40, a smooth white hybrid, generally produced the greatest number of mushrooms and provided the highest yield, and its firm mushrooms showed high protein, dry matter, and soluble solid content. Pla. 8.9, a midrange hybrid type, produced mushrooms with a high protein, soluble solid, and ash content. The third strain assayed was Gurelan 45, which produced large, firm off-white mushroom crops. A correlation matrix was made between the main parameters. In regard to the other parameters' considered, no strain stood out from the others. The Rioja-type casing produced the greatest number of mushrooms, although these were smaller and harvested earlier than those produced in other casing mixtures. Soil without additives produced the largest mushrooms, which also had a higher dry matter content, were firmer, and contained more soluble solids. The other casing materials, binary mixtures of soil with sphagnum or black peat, produced mushrooms of intermediate values. The correlation matrix showed that the higher the number of mushrooms, the greater the overall yield, the smaller the size, and the earlier the first flush. It was also observed that a higher content in dry matter was correlated with firmer texture, greater contents in soluble solid and protein, and lower pH and ash content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economic Botany is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: This study examined the short-term effects of wildfire on fungal communities in two Mediterranean ecosystems in northwestern Spain, dominated by Pinus pinaster Ait. and Cistus ladanifer L., respectively. A large wildfire burned the areas on August 2002. During the autumn of 2003, fruiting bodies found in the plots were identified, and mycological richness, diversity and production in both burned and unburned areas were measured. A 50m×2m transect was established in each plot. In P. pinaster plots, total fungal dry weight decreased from 35.3kgha−1 in unburned plots to 1.9kgha−1 in burned plots, where richness, diversity of mycorrhizal species and production of edible fungi were significantly lower. Dry weight for mycorrhizal species was higher than for saprophytic fungi in the unburned treatments (75% and 25% of the total, respectively), but it was not significantly different in burned areas (56% and 44%). In C. ladanifer plots, mycorrhizal species diversity was higher than that for saprophytic species. However, diversity of total, mycorrhizal and saprophytic fungal species was significantly lower in burned plots. An overall decrease of richness was also observed in these plots. Fire significantly increased the abundance of the pyrophytic mycorrhizal species Leccinum corsicum, whereas Boletus edulis, usually associated with C. ladanifer in northwestern Spain, was not found in burned plots. Some mycorrhizal fungi associated with C. ladanifer are common to Pinus forests, so these pyrophytic shrubs can play an important role in the regeneration of P. pinaster stands after wildfire. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Soil–fungus transfer coefficients are usually defined as the ratio between the content of the fruiting bodies and that of the soil. Since, however, the methodology of how to determine the soil content is not firmly established, there exist a variety of definitions in the literature. We analyzed the 137Cs, 90Sr, 40K, and 226Ra content of mushroom and soil samples from two pine-wood ecosystems in Spain. The location of the mycelium in the soil profiles of these ecosystems was determined by means of the ergosterol concentration. The results showed the mycelium to generally be localized in the surface layer of soil (0–5cm). We also carried out a speciation procedure for this layer of soil to determine the different degrees of association of the radionuclides in the soil. The results led us to propose some variations to the traditional definition used in quantifying radionuclide transfer. With these modifications, we were able to analyze Cs–K competition in several species of mycorrhizal and saprophytic fungi. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mushrooms can accumulate heavy metals in general, including radionuclides found in the nature. However, little attention has been paid to the radioactive content of mushrooms collected in Spain and the dose for the population due to their ingestion. To address this, we analysed the contents of 137Cs, 40K, 226Ra and 7Be present in different species of mushrooms, according to their genus and nutritional mechanism. We observed that mycorrhizal mushrooms accumulate 137Cs more than saprophytes, and vice versa for 7Be. 40K and 226Ra are accumulated to the same degree by the two groups of mushrooms. We estimated the dose due to ingestion of mushrooms in Spain to be 2 μSv/year, and the contribution of 40K and 226Ra to be generally greater than that of 137Cs. The contribution of 137Cs to the dose was calculated by taking into account the results of an experiment carried out under the controlled laboratory conditions, which showed that approximately 98% of 134Cs was associated with the readily digestible fraction of the mushrooms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Zn was found to be the major element found in the Lactarius genus studied. • Mushroom samples trend to be grouped together according to their metal content. • Some mushroom samples exceeded the established permissible levels of As and Se. • Only a small percentage of the daily requirements of Cu, Zn and Se is covered. In this work, the concentration of five non-essential (Cr, As, Cd, Pb and Hg) and three essential elements (Cu, Zn and Se) in five different species from the genus Lactarius collected from Southern Spain and Northern Morocco were determined by ICP-MS after a block acid digestion. Zn was found to be the major element in all the studied samples, followed by Cu and Cr in almost all the cases. The data obtained from the Health Risk Index (HRI) assessment suggested that As content in L. semisanguifluus and L. deliciosus collected from different locations in Granada and Cadiz provinces (Spain) may pose a risk to human health. The comparison between the Daily Intake of Metals (DIM) and the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) indicated that the consumption of the studied mushrooms only covers a small percentage of the daily requirements of Cu, Zn and Se. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mineral composition of edible wild-growing mushrooms from the southeast of Spain is provided. • Species grown in the same area have different abilities to accumulate minerals. • Analyzed mushrooms are good sources of K, P and Fe and low of Ca and Na. • Multifactorial analysis show that Ca, Mg, Cu and Zn have the major weight in the classification. Wild-growing mushrooms could be a potential source of mineral elements The aim of this study was to analyze the mineral composition of 18 species of wild-growing mushrooms collected in a natural park from the Spanish southeast (province of Granada). Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Cu and Zn, were determined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy and P was analyzed colorimetrically by the vanadomolybdate procedure; the accuracy of methods was assessed by the use of certified reference materials. The contribution of mushrooms consumption to the mineral daily recommended intakes was calculated. Although large variations were observed between species, the most abundant mineral elements in the analyzed mushrooms were K and P, with average contents of 29.3 ± 8.1 and 8.60 ± 4.8 g/kg dry matter (dm), respectively. Low Na concentrations were observed (26.5–579 mg/kg dm), with the only exception of Amanita ovoidea , and high Fe values, exceeding in some cases 1000 mg/kg dm (such as in Lactarius deliciosus and Morchella conica). Mushrooms may be significant contributors of K and P in the human diet and also good sources of trace elements, especially Cu and Fe, providing negligible quantities of Na. Strong correlations were observed for Ca/Mg and Cu/Zn contents in the mushrooms analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Previous year primary productivity (NDVI) was the best predictor of mushroom yield. • Fruiting year precipitacion and temperature codetermined mushroom yield. • Combining remote sensing and climate data we predicted 55–75% of mushroom yields. Mushrooms play a provisioning ecosystem service as wild food. The abundance of this resource shows high annual and interannual variability, particularly in Mediterranean ecosystems. Climate conditions have been considered the main factor promoting mushroom production variability, but several evidences suggest that forest composition, age and growth play also a role. Long-term mushroom production datasets are critical to understand the factors behind mushroom productivity. We used 22 and 24 year-long time series of mushroom production in Pinus pinaster and Pinus sylvestris forests in Central Spain to evaluate the effect of climate and forest productivity on mushroom yield. We combined climatic data (precipitation and temperature) and remote sensing data (soil moisture and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI, a surrogate of primary productivity) to model mushroom yields for each forest and for the main edible species of economic interest (Boletus edulis and Lactarius deliciosus). We hypothesized that mushroom yield would be related to (i) forest primary productivity inferred from NDVI affects mushroom yields, that (ii) soil moisture inferred from remote sensors will equal the predictive power precipitation data, and that (iii) combining climatic and remote sensing will improve mushroom yield models. We found that (i) previous year NDVI correlated (r = 0.41–0.6) with mushroom yields; (ii) soil moisture from remote sensors rivaled the predictive power of precipitation (r = 0.63–0.72); and (iii) primary production and climate variances were independent, thus the combination of climatic and remote sensing data improved models with mean R 2 adj as high as 0.629. On the light of these results, we propose as a working hypothesis that mushroom production might be modelled as a two step process. Previous year primary productivity would favour resource accumulation at tree level, potentially increasing resources for mycelia growth, climatic conditions during the fruiting season control the ability of mycelia to transform available resources into fruiting bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diseased fruit bodies of Agaricus bitorquis, with similar symptoms to those caused by dry bubble on Agaricus bisporus, were observed in some Spanish crops during summer 1999. Isolates of Verticillium fungicola from A. bitorquis and A. bisporus were submitted to different temperatures and to prochloraz-Mn sensitivity tests. All the isolates collected from A. bitorquis and A. bisporus were identified as V. fungicola var. fungicola. Artificial infections of A. bisporus and A. bitorquis with V. fungicola var. fungicola are also described in the present study. The appearance of natural infections of V. fungicola var. fungicola in A. bitorquis crops could well be due to the growing temperatures used in Spain, which are considerably below those used in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a bibliometric study of 200 European publications released between 2001 and 2016, about the contamination of mushrooms by selected elements. The analysis includes figures on the type of analyte, its concentration, the species of fungi, and its country of origin. In the literature review, 492 species of mushrooms (wild-growing and cultured) found in 26 European countries and their concentration of 74 associated elements were analysed. The papers, which dealt mainly with the heavy metal (Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn) concentrations of mushrooms, primarily came from Turkey, Poland, Spain, and the Czech Republic. More than 50% of the publications provided data about edible mushrooms. The results of the bibliometric analysis showed that over the 16 years, European research on fungal contamination by selected analytes has not lessened in popularity and is ongoing. Many of the studies underlined the need to assess the risk to human health arising from the consumption of contaminated mushrooms taken from various habitats. These results were the effect of, among other things, the strong interest in studies carried out on edible species, in which concentrations of mainly heavy metals that are dangerous to health and are marked were indicated (Cd, Pb, and Hg).

Radiocaesium ((137)Cs) is an artificial radionuclide that can be captured from the soil through the mycelium of fungi. However, in Spain there are few data on its presence in edible mushrooms. (137)Cs activity concentrations were determined using 54 samples of wild and cultivated mushrooms and 18 samples of soil, all of them collected in Galicia (NW Spain) during 2010. Samples were analyzed by gamma spectroscopy with a High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. The average activity concentration of (137)Cs in wild mushrooms was 249.2Bqkg(-1) dry weight (dw) and about 24.9Bqkg(-1) fresh weight (fw). Genetic factors (species) influenced the uptake of (137)Cs, highlighting Hydnum repandum as the greatest accumulator of all wild species (1016.4Bqkg(-1) dw), while cultivated species showed much lower levels (1.6Bqkg(-1) fw). Accumulation was also favored by fungal mycorrhizal ecology, whose mycelium was distributed in contaminated soil horizons. The mean levels detected in soils were 14Bqkg(-1) fw. Although some species behaved as bioexclusors of radiocaesium, the transfer factors (TF) suggest that mushrooms preferentially bioaccumulate (137)Cs. No sample reached the limit of 600Bqkg(-1) fw (about 6000Bqkg(-1) dw) indicated in the European legislation. In conclusion, the consumption of mushrooms harvested from the investigated areas poses no toxicological risk to human health due to radiocaesium., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The article presents the result of research on cladobotryum mycophilum that causes cobweb on 16% of the blocks of cultivated king oyster mushroom in Spain.