ID help fungus on silage bales

[Deborah]

Hi. As it says in the title, I’ve noticed fungi sprouting through the plastic on many of the uncollected silage bales in the field next door. The silage is a mix of clover/vetch and others. I’m thinking Split Gill Fungus (Schizophyllum), but it’s completely new to me. Any help appreciated.

[gary]

Definitely Split Gill

A real problem on big bale silage as it grows inside then punches through the wrap.

First recorded in Ireland ,I think.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269915X05001059

[Chris Yeates]

I first saw it on this substrate in North Yorkshire on Christmas Eve 1995. A fascinating fungus with an “interesting” sex life . . . https://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/feb2000.html” class=”bbcode_url”>https://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/feb2000.html

[Deborah]

Excellent! Thanks Chris. Intrigued that you say it punches through the bales. I’d presumed there was a tear, however small, in the covering…

[Peachysteve]

It may be the case that it can punch through the wrap but what I have observed on my bales is that brackets start to appear through very small holes which are probably made by birds landing on the bales. Once a bracket squeezes through it has enough pressure to stretch the hole.

[gary]

That’s interesting.

I had some pictures taken some years ago of a fruiting body growing under the wrap and stretching it presumably until it split. Sadly I can’t find them (lost on another computer somewhere).

However it makes sense that the FB would start to grow under a small hole because of the change in gas concentration (O2 increased CO2 decreased)) there.

also Happy New year to all the forum users.

Gary

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