Degradation; Hemp hurds; ITS region; Myxomycetes; Saprotrophic macrofungi

Hemp is suitable for wide range of industrial uses; however, it has some limitations due to its water absorption potential. In this study we analyzed saprobic fungi in hemp hurds samples after 7 days water exposition. These fungal representatives could be responsible for destroying the fiber structure of industrial hemp materials in the environments with high moisture. Morphological and non-cultivation DNA based methods of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence comparison were used for the identification of myxomycetes and fungi participating in the hemp hurds degradation in water environment. Using morphological approach, the fungus colonizing hemp hurds was identified as Physarum globuliferum myxomycete (Myxomycetes, Mycetozoa). ITS analysis of DNA isolated from sporangia of this myxomycete shown however very low similarity to P. globuliferum ITS sequence (37.7%). Non-cultivation DNA based method detected the presence of at least two types of ITS sequences in hemp hurds - the sequences identical to the P. globuliferum-like myxomycete as well as sequences highly related to coprinoid macrofungus (Coprinellus spp., Agaricales, Basidiomycota).