పుట్టగొడుగులు ఎలా పుడతాయి ? How are mushrooms born ?
వర్షాలు పడగానే కుళ్ళుతున్నటువంటి గడ్డి , పేడల దగ్గర హఠాత్తుగా పుట్టగొడుగులు కనిపిస్తాయి . వివిధ సైజుల్లో వుండే వీటినే ” మష్రూమ్స్ ” అని మార్కెట్ లో అమ్ముతుంటారు . మనిషి తినేందుకు వీలున్న ఇవి వృక్షజాతికి చెందినవే . అయితే వీటిలో పత్రహరితం లేనందున కుళ్ళిపోతున్న పదార్ధాలను అహారముగా గహించి జీవిస్తాయి . వీటికి పూలు , కాయలు , విత్తనాలు లేవు . వీటిలోని సిద్ధబీజాలు కొత్త పుట్టగొడుగును ఇస్తాయి . ఒక పుట్టగొడుగులో కొన్ని వేల కోట్ల సిద్ధ బీజాలు ఉంటాయి . పుట్టగిడుగులకు వేళ్ళు ఉండవు .. తంతువుల ద్వారా అహారము గ్రహిస్తాయి . వీటిలో కొన్ని విషపూరితమయిన జాతులు కూడా ఉన్నాయి .
What is a mushroom?
Many people think that mushrooms are vegetables. But this is not the case. All vegetables and fruits come from edible plants. The main characteristic of plants is that they contain chlorophyll, which is used to convert energy from sunlight into carbohydrates. However, mushrooms contain no chlorophyll which means they can not photosynthesize; they ‘steal’ the carbohydrates they need from plants. A mushroom (Agaricus Bisporus) is one of the many species of fungi. They have been given their own kingdom due to the sheer number of species that exist: ‘The Kingdom of Fungi’.
Ecology of mushrooms
Based on their relationship with plants, fungi can be roughly divided into three categories:
1. Saprophytes grow on dead organic matter such as fallen leaves, plant roots and dead wood. They extract carbon dioxide and minerals from it. This category includes many gourmet and medicinal types of mushrooms such as for example white button, crimini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms..
2. Parasites grow on living trees and other plants, extracting their nutrients. Therefore, they are also called the murderers among the mushrooms. Once the tree or bush has died, the dead matter is cleaned up by the saprophytes.
3. The third group – the mycorrhiza – forms a symbiotic association with the roots of living trees. They take sugars and nutrients from the tree, but they give back minerals and essential elements, enlarging the root system of their hosts. Mushrooms that belong to this group are difficult to cultivate and are often found only in nature. Porcini mushrooms, chanterelles and truffles are part of this group.
Mushrooms start their lives underground. As white fluff. This is the so-called ‘mycelium’, the fungal threads that sprout the mushrooms. A mushroom is actually the fruit of a much bigger fungus which grows under the ground. In the wild, mycelium can stay underground for a very long time. If the circumstances are favourable, particularly the presence of food, humidity and temperature are important – buds will form that seek daylight. This is the birth of a mushroom. The small – usually white – ball will quickly grow into a proper mushroom. The cap will open and will start dropping millions of miniscule seeds (spores). These seeds are spread by the wind, end up on the ground and start forming another mycelium.
