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

This repository contains the complete raw datasets and R analysis scripts generated for the manuscript submitted to Mycologia: Gangl J., Nagl-Neuhold G., de Haan M., Lemmens M. (2025). Defined polyxenic cultivation of species of Didymium and Physarum 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 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 2) Germination rates before/after cryopreservation (Supplementary Figure 1, Supplementary Table 1) Purification of plasmodia (Table 3) Plasmodial growth models (Figure 1, Table 4) Macrocyst activity and long-term storage (Figures 3–4) Spore germination from lab-produced sporocarps (Figure 6) 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 Agrow Holding GmbH Herzogenburg Austria, and BOKU University Vienna Austria, and carried out within the FFoQSI GmbH Tulln Austria framework. Keywords:Myxomycetes, Didymium, Physarum, R scripts, polyxenic cultivation, spore germination, purification, growth modeling, sclerotia viability, macrocyst actvity, sporocarp production, biomass production