Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, Also known as lemon-yellow lepiota, it is a species of bacidomycete fungus that belongs to the Agaricales family of the order Lepiota. It is a common organism in tropical and subtropical regions, however it can be found in temperate regions.
It is characterized by being a saprophytic fungus that grows around pot plants, weeds and it is also possible to find it in botanical greenhouses in temperate zones. This fungus is characterized by presenting a conical fruiting body, with a 1-2 cm diameter hood, fragile and fleshy. The margins of the hood are striated.
This mushroom is very toxic due to some secondary metabolites produced during its life cycle, which makes it inedible. In the same way, it is very easy to recognize by its color, fragile appearance and that it also has dust on its fruiting body..
This basidiomycete is controlled by using conventional methods such as the use of fungicides and is biologically controlled by some strains of Trichoderma.
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Leucocoprinus birnbaumii It is characterized by presenting medium-sized sporophors, with a bell-shaped hood. Its entire body is bright yellowish-green, with yellowish-brown discs on surrounding scales..
The cap is 2.3-2.8 cm high, 2.2 x 1.8 cm in diameter, subglobose, ovoid, conical to bell shape with a gimmicked apex. The margins are thin striated to the disc. The 4.5 - 8.0 cm tall and 0.45 - 0.6 cm wide stem from the tip elongates to 0.9 cm at the base, before rooting to the ground.
The yellow color becomes pale with age with a fibrous surface under the ring. This ring, which is located apically, is membranous, yellowish, while the lamina is very busy, bright yellow turning to a pale sulfur or yellowish cream color, with a dark margin, which on some occasions can be very fibrous..
On the other hand, the cuticular structure presents a disc-shaped scale, which is made up of septate hyphae with thin walls. The basidia are 25-35 x 9-10 µm, delegated wall and transparent. The spores produced by the basidia are 6.75 - 9.0 x 5.0 - 6.75 µm, have an elliptical to oval shape, white in color, with a slightly thickened wall in the germinal pore.
L. birnbaumii it is a fungus that grows solitary on dead plant matter. This fungus is very widespread in most of the world with a pantropical distribution. It does very well in the greenhouses of many botanical gardens in temperate and cold regions around the world; in Europe it has become a common weed fungus in nurseries where plants are traded.
It is frequently found fruiting on potted plants in the living rooms of many homes. This lepiota can grow in the soil F horizon, below the O and A layer, which contains many fresh leaves..
From an ecological point of view, this fungus prefers forested habitats, rich in nutrients, in soils with a high pH and a high rate of decomposition. Likewise, competition has been determined between this fungus and some ectomycorrhizae of arboreal species.
Its worldwide distribution is favored by having small spores, which can travel throughout the world in response to global air circulation patterns. The spores in turn face natural challenges when blown up by the wind, such as cold, UV radiation and drought. However, after achieving optimal conditions, the spore germinates, thus managing to colonize new areas..
Leucocoprinus birnbaumii is toxic for human consumption, therefore it is not edible due to the different symptoms that it produces, such as gastric disorders (vomiting, diarrhea, gastric ulcer and abdominal pain), drowsiness, fever, tachycardia and in some cases death safe.
However, this fungus is harmless to plants. Its toxicity is due to certain alkaloids called birnbaumins, which are lemon-yellow in color, giving this basidiomycete its characteristic color..
The birnbaumins produced can be of type A and B; the molecular formula of Birnbaumin A is C16H20N6O4 and that of B is C16H20N6O5. These components are characterized by having an N-hydroxyoxamine group in their chemical structure, however this is the only thing that is known about these components since they have been little studied..
The control of L. birnbaumii has been focused mainly on the use of chemical components and the application of mechanical processes. Copper sulfate is a component widely used to control different fungi, which is why several owners of botanical gardens and greenhouses have used it to control the growth of this Lepiota..
Similarly, several companies consider scraping the soil around 2 inches to remove spores and mycelium that may be of this fungus in the soil..
However, this is not a guarantee of the complete elimination of the fungus, so an integrated management that involves chemical components, mechanical processes and biological controllers increases the possibility of eradication of this toxic basidiomycete for human consumption..
Regarding biological control, the use of some strains of Trichoderma has shown promising results in in vitro and greenhouse conditions, so its application would reduce the use of fungicides toxic to the environment and to humans..
However, several considerations must be taken into account to reduce the incidence of this fungus in pot plants and in greenhouses, such as reducing irrigation, since this fungus grows in conditions of high humidity..
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