Diversity of Macrofungi in Oil Palm Agroforests of Edo State, Nigeria

A study of mushrooms associated with oil palm agroforests in Edo State, South-South of Nigeria was undertaken. A total of 49 fruit bodies belonging to 26 different species of mushrooms in the divisions Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, class Gasteromycetes, Discomycetes, Hymenomycetes were recorded from the study. The order Agaricales, family Tricholomataceae and genus Marasmius were the most abundant and commonly represented taxa. Palm Fronds (PF) supported the highest number of mushroom taxa (19%) followed by Fallen Palm Tree (FPT), Fruit Bunch (FB) and Decomposing Palm Litters (DPL) each of which supported 14% of the total species of mushrooms recorded during the study. Mushrooms irrespective of their functional role as natural decomposers were recognised by the study as pivotal to sustainable local agroforest management practices in Nigeria. Oil palm plantations surveyed during the study competes favourably with forests as sources of indigenous utility mushrooms.