Hongo del coco (Phlebopus bruchii) Case Study
Home > Biodiversity Nature & People > Conservation Philanthropy > Grants > MBZF Grant 242536345
Continent: South America
Country: Argentina
Grant Amount: $17,000
Awarded Date: January 27, 2025
Gerardo Robledo
Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias Centro de Transferencia de Bioi
Ing. Agr. Félix Aldo Marrone 746
Córdoba
Córdoba
5000
Argentina
Tel: 54-351 433-4103
Mob: 54 351 5630281
Conservation actions for the highly endemic and critically endangered “Coco mushroom” (Phlebopus bruchii) from the Sierras of central Argentina
Our project focuses on Phlebopus bruchii, the critically endangered “Coco mushroom” endemic to central Argentina. We aim to map its distribution, study its habitat and ecological requirements, ex-situ conservation by culture collection and indoor cultivation protocols. Research will be based on field expeditions for data collection and obtaining strains for their cultivation. Our goal is to protect and conserve this special endemic mushroom.
Following the IUCN’s recommendations for this species, we set out to understand and protect it through several key actions. First, we’ll map its current distribution by combining field sampling with ecological modeling and fine-tuning those predictions directly in the field. To better understand its habitat, we’ll collect detailed information about both the surrounding plant composition and structure and the soil characteristics where it grows. At the same time, we’ll start building a culture collection to preserve the species ex situ, support research on characteristics and requirements of its cultivation, and future reintroduction efforts. We also want to explore how the fungus lives—its nutritional needs and strategies for survival. Based on this, we’ll develop indoor cultivation techniques that could eventually be shared with local communities. As we move forward, we’ll assess whether reintroduction into natural environments is viable. Throughout the project, we’re committed to sharing our findings not just with scientists, but also with the broader public. Our work will focus on field expeditions during two fruiting seasons (since the Coco Mushroom is a rare summer species, fruiting between December and February—unusual for fungi, which mostly appear in autumn). During these expeditions, we’ll collect specimens, record detailed ecological data, and isolate fungal strains, which will later be used for further research and outreach efforts.
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