MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION AND PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF WILD MUSHROOMS COLLECTED FROM OKITIPUPA METROPOLIS, SOUTHWEST NIGERIA USING ITS RDNA SEQUENCING AND BLAST ANALYSIS

Abstract

Morphological identification of fungal species is often laborious, error-prone, and insufficient for accurate classification. This study utilized molecular techniques, specifically internal transcribed spacer (ITS 1 and 4) regions and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), to identify three wild mushroom species collected from Okitipupa Metropolis, Ondo State, Nigeria. BLAST analysis of the amplified sequences against the NCBI database confirmed the species as Trametes polyzona, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Pleurotus pulmonarius. Phylogenetic analysis revealed low genetic relatedness between the isolates and reference strains, suggesting regional diversity or possible genetic variation within species. The results obtained from this study affirms the reliability of ITS-based molecular identification and emphasizes the importance of incorporating molecular tools in fungal taxonomy. The results also lay the groundwork for further exploration of the ecological and commercial potential of wild mushroom species in Nigeria.