Raw datasets and R scripts for polyxenic cultivation of Didymium and Physarum species: germination, purification, growth dynamics, sclerotia viability, and sporocarp production

This repository contains the complete raw datasets and R analysis scripts generated for the manuscript currently under submission to Mycologia:

Gangl J., Nagl-Neuhold G., de Haan M., Lemmens M. (2025). Defined polyxenic cultivation of Didymium and Physarum species for small-scale laboratory production of plasmodia, sclerotia and sporocarps.

The repository provides:

Six Excel datasets covering spore germination, plasmodial purification, growth dynamics, sclerotia/macrocyst viability, and sporocarp induction.

Seven R scripts used for statistical analyses (GLMM, LMM, Kruskal–Wallis, Dunn’s tests) and for generating the figures and tables included in the manuscript.

All datasets include a README sheet describing variables, units, and context of use. The R scripts are fully annotated and correspond to the datasets and figures/tables as follows:

Isolate selection and germination (Tables 1–2, Supplementary Figure 1)

Germination rates before/after cryopreservation (Figure 1, Supplementary Table 1)

Purification of plasmodia (Table 3)

Plasmodial growth models (Figure 2, Table 4)

Macrocyst viability and long-term storage (Figures 4–5)

Spore germination from lab-produced sporocarps (Figure 7)

Together, these files ensure full transparency and reproducibility of the results presented in the manuscript.

Funding:This research was supported by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), SAN Group GmbH, and BOKU University, and carried out within the FFoQSI GmbH framework.

Keywords:Myxomycetes, Didymium, Physarum, R scripts, reproducible research, polyxenic cultivation, spore germination, purification, growth modeling, sclerotia viability, sporocarp production, biomass production