Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Award Date
1977
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department / School
Biology
Abstract
Like all mushrooms, the morel mushroom is a fungus. Morels are the fruiting bodies produced by members of the genus, Morchella, Morels are often considered to be a class with truffles by mushroom hunters. Unlike other mushrooms, the morel is not toadstool shaped, but looks like a sponge on a stalk, this makes it easy to identify. There are no poisonous mushrooms that resemble morels. Morels are widely distributed. Morels are known to occur in North America, Europe, and Israel. They are found in a wide variety of topographies, from mountains to plains. They can be found on grasslands, orchards, and forests. The time of fruiting is almost always in the spring. Morels have also been found in the summer and fall, but this is rare. Fruiting of Morchella is unpredictable. Sporocarps may be found in large numbers one year and not reappear in the same area for many years. In spite of widespread popularity, Morchella has never been grown to the sporocarp stage in pure culture. Like other mushrooms, morels are sources of proteins and B-vitamins. The purpose of this study has been to gather information on the physiology of Morchella. The response to various nutritional factors was evaluated in terms of amount of growth, and morphogenetic responses. It was hoped that by varying different factors of the medium, it would be possible to find the factors leading to sporocarp formation.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Mushrooms
Plant tissue culture
Format
application/pdf
Number of Pages
67
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
Wassom, James, "The Use of Plant Tissue Culture Techniques for Studying the Growth of Morel" (1977). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5116.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/5116