Muleta, Diriba (PhD)Teferi, Alemayehu2020-11-192023-11-092020-11-192023-11-092020-01-01http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/23395This ethnomycological study was conducted to assess interactions of Metu town inhabitants with the wild edible mushrooms, particularly indigenous knowledge and perceptions, diversity of the edible mushrooms and difference among inhabitants in consumption of the WEMs. Cross-sectional study was conducted with the probability and non-probability methods for selection of respondents and also Sem-structured questionnaire with a closed and open-ended questions, deep interviews and observations participants were conducted for data collection methods. In addition, descriptive statistical analysis was conducted to compare indigenous knowledge and perception of inhabitants for WEMs among different categories of informants. All of the respondents revealed that they knew WEMs. Majority (91.4%) of them responded that they had experience to share benefit of the WEMs, but few (8.6%) of them were not beneficial. School, agricultural sector, health sector, NGO and religious office workers were main source of the information of the WEMs. Similarly, majority (91.4%) of them argued that mushrooms were utilized for a food and medicinal purpose, but few (4%),(3%) and (1.5%) of them revealed that they were also utilized for religious case, others and entertainment purposes in respectively. In addition, they uses for ceremonial, hallucinogenic properties and others functions. Among those about 42%, 26.8%, 21.2% and 9.6% of them were experienced to utilize mushrooms for their nutritional values in respectively due to its a good tastes, substitute a meat and fish, delicacy and good smell to get heat and energy, bodybuilding and increase their body resistance. Moreover, among 198 respondents, majority (88.9%) of them confirmed that they were not experienced to utilize mushrooms for medicinal purpose, but few (11.1%) of them revealed that they had experience in using mushrooms for their medicinal value particularly about 28%, 23%, 11.6%, 29% and 4%of them confirmed that they were utilized for the treatment of inflammation, homeostatic, analgesics, diuretic and tumors. in respectively and preferred to use it because of they easily found in environment, too cheap and better to cure than modern medicine. Similarly, majority (73%) of them confirmed that they were involved in collection of WEMs and they differentiate mushrooms based on its smells, colors and tastes during summer, spring and autumn period of seasons particularly from a termite mound area under big tree, on log or wood swampy trees, farmlands, cattle field area and dry lands. About 44.4%, 25.3%, 18.2%, 7.1% and 5.1% of them responded that they have been collected wild edible mushrooms by chance randomly, observing muddy of soil, sound birds, and deliberately. They were collected mainly by men, elders, children and women in respectively. However, they have been not practiced to preserve that might be happened due to lack of an experience share to preserving mushrooms among their parents in the area, lack of well-developed indigenous knowledge of the WEMs. Majority (81.8%) of respondents argued that mushrooms were not practiced to buy/sale in local market but only (18.2%) of them were argued it. In addition, about 78% of them argued to utilize mushrooms in fresh form, but 22% of them confirmed that they were utilized in dried form. Mushrooms include T. schimperi, T. letestui and T. rosbustus and T. microcarpus are the most expensive in area due to its medicinal values, meaty flavor, good smell and delicacy for food consumption and also they are frequently bought by urban inhabitants, rural social group, illiterates and also literates peoples in respectively. Most of time they are transporting by human carrying and domestic animals such as by donkey. About 50.3% of respondents confirmed that mushrooms coverage were decreased due to deforestation, habitat destruction, Overgrazing and populations pressure role. Majority (86.8%) of respondents argued that mushrooms were not possible to adopt/cultivate of WEMs and also about 44.2%, 29.9% of them confirmed that wild mushrooms development was discouraged by both rain and soil properties and heavy thunder rain. In general, anthropogenic activities, negative perception, increasing urbanization, agrochemical, exotic plants and deforestation are main factors cause for the disturbance of WEMs and also they poor conserved efforts of wild edible mushrooms. Therefore, both methods of conservation in-situ and ex-situ mushroom conservation strategy, disseminate information of WEMs to become behavioral change and transformation conception habit of inhabitants to edible mushrooms are the main recommended.enEthnomycologyIndigenous KnowledgeWild Edible MushroomsRespondentsConservationThesis