Cauliflower mushroom named ‘Shirobanabijin’

Abstract

The claimed cauliflower mushroom plant named Shirobanabijin has a higher primordium forming ability and a higher differentiating ability and, hence, higher productivity, higher production stability and higher crop yield. Further, the fruit body of Shirobanabijin has a greater branch thickness and a moderately resilient flesh texture and, therefore, is less susceptible to breakage and shape collapse of petals and branches in the harvesting and the packaging thereof. Thus, Shirobanabijin ensures efficient workability in the harvesting and the packaging. In addition, Shirobanabijin is white as compared with existing varieties.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of cauliflower mushroom named Shirobanabijin as substantially illustrated and described herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a genealogical chart for Shirobanabijin.

(2) FIG. 2 is a photograph showing a state of Shirobanabijin on the 14th culturing day.

(3) FIG. 3 is a photograph showing a state of KSC-H7 on the 14th culturing day.

(4) FIG. 4 is a photograph showing a state of KSC-H2 on the 14th culturing day.

(5) FIG. 5 is a photograph showing an example of fruit bodies of central fruiting type.

(6) FIG. 6 is a photograph showing an example of fruit bodies of overall fruiting type.

(7) FIG. 7 is a photograph showing an example of fruit bodies of peripheral fruiting type.

(8) FIG. 8 is a photograph showing the fruiting type of Shirobanabijin.

(9) FIG. 9 is a photograph showing the fruiting type of KSC-H7.

(10) FIG. 10 is a photograph showing the fruiting type of KSC-H2.

(11) FIG. 11 is a graph showing a relationship between the number of fungal beds and a period from inoculation to a fruiting operation possible day for Shirobanabijin, KSC-H7 and KSC-H2.

(12) FIG. 12 is a diagram showing designations of parts of a fruit body, in which A designates a petal, B designates a branch, C designates a stipe, D designates a stipe thickness measurement part, and E designates a branch thickness measurement part.

(13) FIG. 13 is a photograph showing standards of the major diameter i and the minor diameter ii of a fruit body.

(14) FIG. 14 is a photograph showing a standard of the height of a fruit body.

(15) FIG. 15 is a photograph showing an example of a spine-type petal of a fruit body.

(16) FIG. 16 is a photograph showing an example of a carnation-type petal of a fruit body.

(17) FIG. 17 is a photograph showing an example of a kale-type petal of a fruit body.

(18) FIG. 18 is a photograph showing an example of a ginkgo-type petal of a fruit body.

(19) FIG. 19 is a photograph showing the color of a stipe of Shirobanabijin.

(20) FIG. 20 is a photograph showing the color of a stipe of KSC-H7.

(21) FIG. 21 is a photograph showing the color of a stipe of KSC-H2.

(22) FIG. 22 is a photograph showing the color of branches of Shirobanabijin.

(23) FIG. 23 is a photograph showing the color of branches of KSC-H7.

(24) FIG. 24 is a photograph showing the color of branches of KSC-H2.

(25) FIGS. 25A and 25B are photographs showing a top view and a bottom view, respectively, of dual culture of Shirobanabijin.

(26) FIGS. 26A and 26B are photographs showing a top view and a bottom view, respectively, of dual culture of Shirobanabijin and KSC-H7.

(27) FIGS. 27A and 27B are photographs showing a top view and a bottom view, respectively, of dual culture of Shirobanabijin and KSC-H2.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(28) The characteristics of Shirobanabijin will be described in comparison with existing varieties, i.e., a variety KSC-H7 applied for plant variety registration in Japan and a Japanese registered variety KSC-H2.

Cultivation of Cauliflower Mushroom

(29) Shirobanabijin, KSC-H7 and KSC-H2 were cultivated in the following manner, and evaluated for primordium forming ability, fruiting type, fruiting period, differentiating ability, crop yield, cultivation period and fruit body morphological characteristics. The term primordium herein means a white lump from which a fruit body of the cauliflower mushroom is developed. The primordium grows into a stipe, branches and petals of the cauliflower mushroom (this process is hereinafter referred to as differentiation).

(30) The fruit bodies of these varieties for the comparison test were cultivated from February 2017 to April 2017.

(31) Polyethylene cultivation bottles (each having a mouth diameter of 58 mm and a volume of 850 mL) were used for the cultivation. For preparation of medium, sawdust of coniferous trees such as larch trees and Oregon pine trees were used as a base material, and wheat bran, flour, barley and beer yeast were used as nutrients. The medium was prepared by mixing 18 to 25 parts by weight of the wheat bran and the flour, 5 to 8 parts by weight of the barley and 2 to 4 parts by weight of the beer yeast with 100 parts by weight of the coniferous tree sawdust on a dry weight basis, and controlling the water content of the resulting mixture at 652%. The polyethylene cultivation bottles were each filled with the medium, which was in turn sterilized by a high-pressure steam sterilization method. The bottles of medium thus sterilized were cooled to a temperature of not higher than 20 C. in a clean room, and the bottles of medium were each inoculated with about 10 to about 15 g of fungal spawn. The bottles of medium each inoculated with the fungal spawn (hereinafter referred to as fungal beds) were cultured at a temperature of 213 C. at a humidity of 60 to 80% at a carbon dioxide concentration of not higher than 4,000 ppm until primordia were formed to allow for a fruiting operation (differentiation start time).

(32) Subsequently, the fungal beds to be subjected to the fruiting operation were maintained at a temperature of 183 C. at a humidity of 90 to 95% at a carbon dioxide concentration of not higher than 4,000 ppm in light, whereby the fruiting was promoted.

(33) Thereafter, the fruit bodies were harvested before spores were formed in sporophores (petals). The medium was removed from stipe bases of the fruit bodies and, in this state, measurement was performed on the fruit bodies.

(34) In the cultivation, 3 batches each including 32 such cultivation bottles (96 cultivation bottles in total) were employed for each of the varieties.

(35) In the test, the polyethylene cultivation bottles were used for the cultivation, but the claimed Shirobanabijin may be cultivated in polyethylene cultivation bags which are commonly used for the fungal bed cultivation of mushrooms. In this case, the cultivation may be performed under the same cultivation conditions as employed for the cultivation in the cultivation bottles. The fruit bodies obtained from the cultivation bottles and fruit bodies obtained from the cultivation bags have no difference in morphological characteristics and the like, and provide the similar results.

(36) The fruit bodies thus produced were each evaluated for the following evaluation items.

Primordium Forming Ability

(37) The polyethylene bottles were visually observed to determine when the primordium formation of the cauliflower mushroom started after the culturing.

(38) The primordium formation of the claimed Shirobanabijin started after a lapse of about 2 weeks from the start of the culturing. In contrast, the primordium formation of KSC-H7 started after a lapse of about 3 weeks from the start of the culturing, and the primordium formation of KSC-H2 started after a lapse of about 2 weeks from the start of the culturing (see FIGS. 2 to 4). It was confirmed that the claimed Shirobanabijin has substantially the same primordium formation starting period as KSC-H2, which has a higher primordium forming ability. Thus, the claimed Shirobanabijin has a higher primordium forming ability and, hence, a higher fruiting percentage and a shorter cultivation period.

Fruiting Type and Fruiting Period

(39) The fruiting type (fruiting state) of the cauliflower mushroom was visually observed. The fruiting type was classified as central fruiting type when fruit bodies were developed on a center surface portion of the fungal bed as shown in FIG. 5, classified as overall fruiting type when fruit bodies were developed on the overall surface of the fungal bed as shown in FIG. 6, or classified as peripheral fruiting type when fruit bodies were developed on a peripheral surface portion of the fungal bed as shown in FIG. 7. Further, a period from the inoculation to the fruiting operation possible day and the number of fungal beds are shown below in Table 1.

(40) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 (Period from inoculation to fruiting operation possible day and number of fungal beds) Period Shirobanabijin KSC-H7 KSC-H2 32 days 8 0 0 33 days 20 3 0 34 days 32 21 12 35 days 31 30 49 36 days 5 0 4 37 days 0 7 3 38 days 0 15 12 39 days 0 13 16 40 days 0 7 0

(41) The claimed Shirobanabijin was of the overall fruiting type. KSC-H7 was of the overall fruiting type or the peripheral fruiting type, and KSC-H2 was of the overall fruiting type (see FIGS. 8 to 10). As shown in Table 1 and FIG. 11, KSC-H7 and KSC-H2 each have two peaks with respect to the period from the inoculation to the fruiting operation possible day, while the claimed Shirobanabijin has a single peak with respect to the period from the inoculation to the fruiting operation possible day. This means that the fungal beds of the claimed Shirobanabijin can be simultaneously subjected to the fruiting operation. Thus, the claimed Shirobanabijin is stable in primordium formation time, primordium growth rate and differentiation speed and, therefore, has higher productivity.

Differentiating Ability

(42) The differentiation of the developed fruit bodies of the cauliflower mushroom was visually observed.

(43) The differentiation of the claimed Shirobanabijin was started simultaneously with the fruiting (see FIG. 8). KSC-H7 was lower in differentiation degree than the claimed Shirobanabijin (see FIG. 9), and KSC-H2 was comparable in differentiation degree to the claimed Shirobanabijin (see FIG. 10). The claimed Shirobanabijin had substantially the same differentiating ability as KSC-H2 which has a higher differentiating ability. Therefore, it is considered that the claimed Shirobanabijin also has a higher differentiating ability and, hence, is highly stable in fruit body morphology and requires a shorter cultivation period.

Cultivation Period

(44) The total cultivation periods in days (the culturing period plus the fruiting period) of the claimed variety and the comparative varieties are shown below in Table 2.

(45) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 (Total cultivation period of cauliflower mushroom) Shirobanabijin KSC-H7 KSC-H2 Culturing period 34.1 36.2 36.0 Fruiting period 17.5 17.9 21.6 Total cultivation period 51.6 54.1 57.6

(46) As shown above in Table 2, the claimed Shirobanabijin required a shorter culturing period and a shorter fruiting period and, hence, a shorter total cultivation period than the comparative varieties KSC-H7 and KSC-H2.

(47) The above evaluation results for the primordium forming ability, the fruiting type and the fruiting period, the differentiating ability and the cultivation period indicate that the claimed Shirobanabijin has higher productivity.

Crop Yield

(48) The crop yield of the harvested cauliflower mushroom was measured. The results of the measurement are shown below in Table 3.

(49) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 (Crop yield of cauliflower mushroom) Crop yield Shirobanabijin KSC-H7 KSC-H2 Less than 100 g 0 8 7 100 g to less than 110 g 0 7 11 110 g to less than 120 g 5 39 28 120 g to less than 130 g 28 33 40 130 g to less than 140 g 46 8 10 140 g or more 17 1 0

(50) As shown in Table 3, KSC-H7 and KSC-H2 each had greater variations in crop yield, but the claimed Shirobanabijin had smaller variations in crop yield. The average crop yield of Shirobanabijin was 133.2 g. The average crop yield of KSC-H7 was 117.4 g, and the average crop yield of KSC-H2 was 118.2 g. Thus, the claimed Shirobanabijin had a greater crop yield than the comparative varieties. This means that the claimed Shirobanabijin has higher production stability and higher crop yield.

Morphological Characteristics of Fruit Body

(51) From each batch, 10 cultivation bottles containing fruit bodies having average morphological characteristics were selected, and the dimensions of the fruit bodies were measured and averaged for determination of the morphological characteristics of the fruit bodies.

(52) For determination of the diameter of the fruit body, the major diameter and the minor diameter of the fruit body were measured and averaged (see FIG. 13).

(53) The height of the fruit body was determined as measured from the mouth of the cultivation bottle to the apex of a petal of the fruit body (see FIG. 14).

(54) For determination of the thickness of the stipe, the thickness of a portion of the stipe just below branches was measured (see FIG. 12).

(55) The number of branches having a length of not smaller than 5 cm from their bases was determined.

(56) The petals of the fruit body were visually observed for determination of the petal shape. The petal shape was classified as spine type when the petal had a shape as shown in FIG. 15, classified as carnation type when the petal had a shape as shown in FIG. 16, classified as kale type when the petal had a shape as shown in FIG. 17, or classified as ginkgo type when the petal had a shape as shown in FIG. 18.

(57) For determination of the thickness of the branch, the thickness of a 5- to 10-mm long portion of the branch from a distal end of the petal was measured (see FIG. 12).

(58) The fruit body was evaluated for the flesh textures of the stipe and the branch thereof by pinching the stipe and the branch with fingers. The flesh texture of the stipe or the branch was classified as soft when the stipe or the branch had a lower hardness than that of a reference variety NBRC102492, classified as intermediate when the stipe or the branch had substantially the same hardness as that of NBRC102492 or classified as hard when the stipe or the branch had a higher hardness than that of NBRC102492.

(59) The reference variety NBRC102492 is a cauliflower mushroom plant deposited with Japan's National Institute of Technology and Evaluation. In addition, the variety NBRC102492 is used as a reference variety in the present specification because the variety NBRC102492 is also used as the reference variety in the Examination Guidelines for Variety Registration of Cauliflower Mushroom issued by the Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

(60) The results are shown below in Table 4.

(61) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 (Morphological characteristics of fruit body) Morphology Shirobanabijin KSC-H7 KSC-H2 Fruit body diameter 12.8 12.7 12.6 (cm) Fruit body height (cm) 9.8 9.9 10.7 Stipe thickness (mm) 2.2 2.3 2.2 Number of fruit body 2.9 2.9 2.6 branches Fruit body petal shape Kale type Kale type Kale type Fruit body branch 1.5 2.1 0.7 thickness (mm) Stipe Flesh texture Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Fruit body branch Intermediate Hard Soft flesh texture

(62) The claimed Shirobanabijin was substantially the same in fruit body diameter, fruit body height, stipe thickness, the number of fruit body branches and stipe flesh texture as the comparative varieties KSC-H7 and KSC-H2. The claimed Shirobanabijin had the same fruit body petal shape as the comparative varieties KSC-H7 and KSC-H2.

(63) The fruit body branch of the claimed Shirobanabijin was thick and had an intermediate flesh texture. In contrast, the fruit body branch of KSC-H7 was very thick and had a hard flesh texture, and the fruit body branch of KSC-H2 was thin and had a soft flesh texture.

(64) In general, the petals and the branches of the cauliflower mushroom have substantially the same morphological tendency (thickness and flesh texture). The morphology of the petals and the branches significantly influences the workability in the harvesting and the packaging. More specifically, a fruit body having a greater branch thickness and a harder branch flesh texture is more susceptible to breakage of its petals and branches when even a small physical impact is applied to the fruit body in the harvesting and the packaging, and a cauliflower mushroom with its petals and branches thus broken loses its commercial value. Further, a fruit body having a smaller branch thickness and a softer branch flesh texture is more susceptible to shape collapse in the harvesting and the packaging, and a cauliflower mushroom suffering from shape collapse loses its commercial value.

(65) Therefore, the claimed Shirobanabijin which has a fruit body with a moderate branch thickness and a moderate branch flesh texture ensures efficient workability in the harvesting and the packaging.

Observation of Colors of Stipe and Branches of Fruit Body

(66) The colors of the stipe and the branches of the fruit body were visually observed. Incidentally, in cauliflower mushrooms, a color of branches and a color of petals are usually same. The results are shown below in Table 5.

(67) The color designations herein used are based on The Colour Chart specified by The Royal Horticultural Society (The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) London, Sixth Edition (2015)).

(68) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 (Colors of stipe and branches of fruit body) Shirobanabijin KSC-H7 KSC-H2 Stipe Yellowish Pale yellow Pale greenish white (RHS (RHS No. yellow No. 158C) 11D) (RHS No. 10D) Branches Yellowish Pale yellow Light yellow white (RHS No. (RHS No. (RHS No. 158B) 10C) 155B)

(69) The color of the stipe of the claimed Shirobanabijin was yellowish white (RHS No. 158C). In contrast, the color of the stipe of KSC-H7 was pale yellow (RHS No. 11D), and the color of the stipe of KSC-H2 was pale greenish yellow (RHS No. 10D) (see FIGS. 19 to 21).

(70) The color of the branches of the claimed Shirobanabijin was yellowish white (RHS No. 155B). In contrast, the color of the branches of KSC-H7 was pale yellow (RHS No. 158B), and the color of the branches of KSC-H2 was light yellow (RHS No. 10C) (see FIGS. 22 to 24).

(71) Thus, the fruit body of the claimed Shirobanabijin is entirely white as compared with the comparative varieties.

Dual Culture Test

(72) Potato dextrose ager (PDA) medium was sterilized at 121 C. for 15 minutes by an ordinary high-pressure steam sterilization method. The sterilized medium was dispensed in culture dishes for preparation of flat media. Dikaryotic mycelia of Shirobanabijin, KSC-H7 and KSC-H2 were each pre-cultured on another PDA medium (at 251 C. for 20 to 30 days). Dual culture was performed by inoculating small pieces of the dikaryotic mycelia of these varieties in 305 mm spaced and juxtaposed relation on the flat medium in the culture dish and culturing the mycelia at 252 C. When the resulting two colonies contacted each other, the culture dish was exposed to light at an illuminance of 100 to 300 lux or higher at 251 C. The culture dish was checked for formation of an inhibition zone. The results are shown below in Table 6.

(73) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 (Results of dual culture with respect to Shirobanabijin) Shirobanabijin KSC-H7 KSC-H2 Formation of + + inhibition zone : Inhibition zone was not formed. +: Inhibition zone was formed.

(74) The results shown above in Table 6 indicate that the inhibition zone (antagonistic line) was formed between Shirobanabijin and the comparative varieties. Thus, it was confirmed that Shirobanabijin is genetically different from the comparative varieties (see FIGS. 25A to 27B).