Honey as a Xylindein-Stimulatory Media for Chlorociboria Species

Fungi in the Chlorociboria genus produce a blue pigment called xylindein—a pigment with high UV stability, photovoltaic capacity, and which is used as a historic wood colorant. The pigment has not yet been synthesized; however, recent studies have shown that optimizing sucrose and glucose levels, as well as nitrogen levels during Chlorociboria growth, affects the amount of pigment produced. Ideal for laboratory and commercial production, most users of xylindein are hobbyist woodworkers for whom this level of control is not feasible. This study sought to determine easily-accessible sugar sources capable of stimulating xylindein production specifically for “at home” cultivation. Four ‘common’ sugar sources were tested for their ability to stimulate pigment production of four Chlorociboria species: honey, maple syrup, coconut cream, and high fructose corn syrup. All fungi produced significantly more xylindein in honey-based media. Across the different types of honey, the three fungi produced the most xylindein on raw honey over the more “processed” honey, although both raw and processed honey induced pigmentation. The use of honey as a media sugar source for Chlorociboria spp. offers a reliable, cheap, and effective method to optimize sucrose for hobbyists interested in maximizing their xylindein output, and may offer a cheaper pigment stimulant for larger-scale, industrial production.