Competition patterns and biodegradation results of multiple fungal species on Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis)

The biodegradation of lignocellulosic materials in nature is a complex process. To investigate the fungal competition patterns and degradation on Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), four wood decay fungi, including white-rot and brown-rot fungi, were selected as the test fungi in this research. Bamboo blocks were pre-colonized by different fungi then paired to form dual cultures. The results showed different competition outcomes among these fungi on potato dextrose agar, forest soil, and bamboo. Whit-rot fungus Trametes versicolor was highly competitive on bamboo where it could replace brown-rot fungi, and the biodegradation of bamboo was more severe in dual cultures, especially in the combination of Trametes versicolor and Gloeophyllum trabeum. The degradation of the bamboo components also differed with the monocultures and dual cultures. In monocultures of brown-rot fungi, cellulose was the most severely degraded component among the three primary components; while in monocultures of white-rot fungi, lignin was the most severely degraded component instead. The degradation of hemicellulose and lignin was more significant than that of cellulose in the dual cultures containing white-rot fungi. These results suggest that dual culturing of decay fungi has the potential to improve biomass utilization of bamboo and reduce the chemical treatment cost of raw materials.