ABSTRACT
Mushrooms relate to a number of plant lives and influence numerous plants directly or indirectly. The influence of fruiting bodies of 83 mushrooms on the growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) seedling was examined by the “sandwich method” and this clarified that all the mushrooms showed inhibitory activity at 50 mg applications. On the other hand, intensity of inhibition varied at 10 mg application. Among the mushrooms tested, Morchella esuculenta, Lycoperdon perlatum, Amanita sinensis, Tricholoma muscarium, Cortinarius violaceusm Agaricus subrutilescens, Coprinus comatu, Agrocybe cylindracea, Pholiota lubrica, Pleurocybella porrigens, Lyophyllum decastes, Lepista nuda, Ramaria Formosa, Cortinarius aureobrunneus, Xanthoconium affine, Pleurotus cornucopiae, Panellus serotinus, etc. exhibited strong efficacy of inhibitory. The results showed that mushrooms produce plant growth regulating compounds which act as allelochemicals in nature. Furthermore, these compounds enable them to play a role as allelopathic plants in nature, since the amount of mycelia in the soil is very high as compared with fruiting bodies. A possibility of utilization of certain mushrooms and their products for weeds control will be discussed in this chapter.
