Characteristics of climate habitats of edible wild fungi in Yunnan Province

Yunnan Province is located in low latitude region with a physiognomy composed mainly of plateaus and mountains. Influenced by the geographical environment and monsoon climate, Yunnan has abundant sunlight and heat resource with characteristic vertical climate variation, alternating wet and dry seasons and synchronous rainfall and temperature, providing quality climate habitats for the growth of edible wild fungi. These factors along with the air temperature, land surface temperature, precipitation, sunshine and humidity (for May to October) and altitude in 125 counties in Yunnan and in other edible wild fungi producing areas of China were investigated for characteristic climate habitats of edible wild fungi. The study also analyzed the differences between edible wild fungi habitats in Yunnan and that in other areas of China using the principal component analysis. Aridity calculation, single meteorological factor analysis and IDW interpolation analysis were further done in ArcGIS environment. The results showed that the characteristics of climate habitats of edible wild fungi in Yunnan were unique to China. These characteristics included sufficient light and heat and obvious dry and wet interchange in the early period of mycelium extending to fruiting stage. There were also long harvests, moderate heat and precipitation, large day and night temperature difference and staggering sunny or rainy days at harvest period of edible wild fungi in Yunnan Province. Climate habitats of edible wild fungi in Yunnan were divided into three zones — high altitude cold zone in north Yunnan, warm zone in central Yunnan and hot zone in south Yunnan. Among these zones, Chuxiong Prefecture and others areas with similar latitude and altitude was most suitable climate habitats of edible wild fungi breed. In these areas, the average temperature, precipitation, relative humidity and sunshine hours in May (mycelium extending stage), June (fruiting body harvest stage) and July to September (fruiting body harvest peak stage) were 20 ℃, 80 mm, 67% and 220 h; 21 ℃, 150 mm, 77% and 160 h; and 20 ℃, 480 mm, 83%, 380 h; which were in the most suitable ranges of these factors for the growth of edible wild fungi.