Tropical Plant Research

Tropical Plant Research

An International Journal by Society for Tropical Plant Research

ISSN (E): 2349-1183 ISSN (P): 2349-9265
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2022, VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2Pages: 63-68

Ethnomycological study of macromycetes used in the Funa district, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Dyna Y. Masika, Roger Batubenga, Kevin Lubwa, Esther Mwambay, Evariste Kimwanga, Chapy Mukaya, Gédéon Bongo* and Simon Dibaluka
*Department of Kinshasa, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, P.O. Box 190, Kinshasa XI, Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Abstract:
The present study is a contribution to the knowledge of fungal species of food interest exploited by the population of Funa district, in Kinshasa city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The aim was to assess the knowledge of Funa district community in mushroom species diversity sold in the market. The mycological surveys were conducted between December 2019 and January 2020. In the study, we used survey-participation technique. A survey-participation was used as a technique, which is a non-probabilistic method where the interviewees were randomly selected. The sample size was of 81 participants. Qualitative and quantitative methods supported by ethnomycological surveys were used to collect data. Out of 81 people interviewed, 97.5% were women; food use was predominant with 93.8%; 80.2% of participants reported that mushrooms were difficult to preserve due to their perishable nature; and 96.2% of participants felt that mushrooms were only available during the dry season. The sale of sporophores in FUNA District remains the only method of supplying households and local markets. Nevertheless, mushrooms are a valued commodity in women's trading activities in Funa District. More studies are needed to have a clear view on different species consumed by the Kinshasa people and create a database of edible mushrooms consumed in DRC. Furthermore, it is required to assess the knowledge of different Congolese tribes to increase the knowledge of ethnomycology and assess their in vitro medicinal activities against different pathologies.
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