Studies on domestication of the true morel Morchella importuna in India

Morels are one of the tastiest and highly prized macrofungi available in nature. Their complete domestication is still an ongoing process. The true economic value of morels lies in their fruiting body, known as ascoma. In an effort to conserve a heterothallic morel fungus called Morchella importuna, we attempted to develop a technique to induce its fruiting under controlled conditions. Under laboratory conditions, 4 tiny ascomata of 0.5 to 1 cm were induced using modified jar method whereas, in trials under greenhouse conditions during 2019 to 2022, 1 to 350 ascomata were obtained. The ascomata obtained with ordering pattern of pits and ridges on the surface of cap of M. importuna. Phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region revealed it highest similarity to M. importuna strains HT669, IP301 and VK2. Life cycle stages and mode survival of morels are adversely affected by the environmental conditions of the growing habitats. Under present studies, heterothallism, asexual reproduction and imperfect stage of M. importuna were recorded. It was noticed that substrate nutrition, moisture, temperature, shade and light have an important role in initiation of fruiting in M. importuna. Our studies will give an insight to cultivate ecologically and economically important fungus M. importuna.