Fungus ‘superpowers’ could help restore forests

A SCOTTISH company is helping to regrow forests with specially-made mushroom pellets, using the “superpowers” of fungi.

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Teams from Rhizocore Technologies are collecting samples of fungi from around the world, with the goal of curating Earth's largest library of fungal specimens.

Their product, a small rectangular grey pellet, helps tree-planting projects succeed in ground which may lack the appropriate fungus in the soil - boosting chances of forests regrowing.

Scientists who created the company explain that trees need a system of mycorrhizal fungi around their roots in order to thrive, forming a symbiotic relationship.

Deforestation and human activity can lead to this vital fungi degrading in the soil.