Sustainable fruit-body formation of edible mycorrhizal Tricholoma species for 3 years in open pot culture with pine seedling hosts

Three edible mycorrhizal mushrooms, Tricholoma portentosum, T. saponaceum, and T. terreum, that had formed ectomycorrhizas with Pinus densiflora seedlings in vitro, were maintained in open pot culture for 3 years under laboratory conditions. Tricholoma portentosum and T. saponaceum produced fruit bodies several times. For T. terreum, which produced a single fruit body in the third year, this is the first report of mushroom production under controlled conditions. Morphological observation of fruit bodies indicated that they were mature, i.e., well-organized cap, stem, and gills, and basidiospores. These results suggest that cultivation of these three edible Tricholoma mushrooms is feasible.