Indonesian Wild Shiitake Proof of Indonesia’s Biodiversity, IPB University Researcher: Millions of Mushroom Species Still Undiscovered
The discovery of the wild mushroom Lentinula lateritia, also known as the Indonesian Wild Shiitake, in the Kerinci forest area, Jambi, is important evidence of Indonesia’s untapped biodiversity.
IPB University lecturer from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Dr Ivan Permana Putra, called this finding a major contribution in enriching national biodiversity data that has been minimal.
“We often claim to be a megabiodiversity country, but in fact our mushroom catalog is very limited. As of 2017, only 2.273 species of fungi have been recorded, whereas global estimates reach 1,5 to 12 million species,” he said.
“So, discoveries like Lentinula lateritia are very important to improve our data and understanding,” Dr Ivan continued.
He added that the exploration of wild mushrooms like this is not only important from a scientific perspective, but also opens up opportunities for commercial development.
Indonesian Wild Shiitake from Jambi has different characteristics from the commonly known cultivated shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes). The color of the Indonesian Wild Shiitake is more red-brown with clear scales on the hood, while the cultivated shiitake is dark brown.
The difference between the two has also been confirmed through DNA testing. In addition, cultivated mushrooms generally grow in cold temperature areas and are grown in chunks of wood, not baglogs like oyster mushrooms. In Indonesia, shiitake cultivation is still limited and relies on imported seedlings.
“If we can develop local seeds from these wild mushrooms, we can reduce production costs and reduce dependence on imports,” Dr Ivan explained. The IPB University team is currently still focusing on the taxonomic stage and will continue to the cultivation and production process.
Initial research shows that Lentinula lateritia from Indonesia has genetic characters that differ from foreign isolates available in international databases. This indicates a unique adaptation to the Indonesian tropical forest ecosystem, as well as the potential content of unique bioactive compounds.
According to Dr Ivan, the content of phenolic compounds and polysaccharides in this fungus shows antioxidant activity that is promising to be developed in the field of functional food or pharmaceuticals. However, its utilization must still be based on strong scientific research so as not to cause risks in the future.
Indigenous Collaboration
He also highlighted the limited human resources as a challenge in mushroom exploration in Indonesia. With a large area, the number of mushroom taxonomists in Indonesia is still very small.
To overcome this, Dr Ivan collaborates with local communities, including indigenous people. They are trained to document, photograph and preserve mushroom samples before they are sent to the IPB laboratory in Bogor. The discovery of Lentinula lateritia in Jambi was initially reported by a local tour guide.
In addition, collaboration is also carried out through online communities such as the Facebook group “Komunitas Pemburu Jamur Indonesia” which now has more than 200 thousand members. This community is a source of field information that is very helpful in mapping the distribution of mushrooms in Indonesia.
Dr Ivan hopes that more parties will get involved in the exploration and conservation of Indonesia’s wild mushrooms. “We don’t need to look too far for novelty, because millions of mushroom species in this country have not been revealed. Instead, they are looking for us,” he concluded. (Fj) (IAAS/KQA)
