MUSHROOM CULTIVATI AND USts

298
LENTINULA EDODES.
CULTIVATION OF
(H) THE SHIITAKE MUSHROOM

called as shiitake or
edodes, (Plate-16) commonly
Lentiula and important cultisted
Wood Mushroom is most popular
Japanese
2nd largest mushroom cultivated in he
mushroom in Japan. It is the
It has been grown for thousands of
world after Agaricus bisporus.
vears in Asia on
small diameter and hard wood logs. In 1997. ito
tonnes (Chang, 1999). It is
annual production was about 15, 64,000
its unique taste and flavour and
liked by the consumers because of
which reduces plasma cholesterol level. It is
presence of a chemical
mainly cultivated in Japan, People's republic of China, Taiwan, S.
Korea and United State of America. It grows in nature on the wood of
broad leaf trees mainly oak and chestnut. Lentinus was artificially
cultivated in India on wood logs, artificial medium, saw dust and
wheat straw supplemented with Wheat and rice bran (Dhar, 1976.
Suman and Seth, 1082, Sohi and Upadhyay, 1988, Thakur and
Sharma, 1992). Recently Sharma (2003-04) got good success in-
cultivating Malaysian strain of Lentinus edodes on wheat straw with
biological efficiency of about 45 per cent.

Cultivation Technique on Wood Logs

Lentinula edodes grows in nature onthe dead wood of a number o
hard wood trees mainly
Quercus spp. (Oak), Castenopsis spp. (C-
chinensis, C. tissa, C. fordil, C. lamontii
chinenses, E. japonicus, E. etc.). Elaeocarpus spp. (E-
lancaefolius), Lithocarpus Spp.
calophylla, L. glaber, L. spicatus), spp. (L--
various plant Betula spp. and Carpinus spp-
species graded for cultivation
fruit at or above 10 °C.adopting suitable strain=
either those which can
technique is as follows: The detailed cultivations
() og
preparation (2) Spawn preparation
management (3) Spawning logs (4)
CrO
Log Preparation
The
mycelium of Lentinula
fungi. It edodes is
mainly grows on dried
the saprophytic and wood rotuing
wooden logs
cambiun. Varips absorbing nutriens from
trees which
are suitable
as logs
lo8 for tn
 TECHNOLOGY OF SPECIALITY MUSHROOM
CULTIVATION
299

tivation of shiitake has been rated excellent, good, fair, poor and
according
very poor acco
to their periormance. Among the excellent trees
the
Carpinus
laxiflora
(Hornbean), Castanea crenate
(Japanes),
are
Castanopsis cuspidata (Shii), C. sieboldii (Shii), Ostrya virginiana
CIronwood), Quercus abla (White oak), Q. acutissima (Oak), Quercus
(Oak), Salix nigra (Black willow), where as. Betula lute (Sweet
birch B. nigra (Red birch) and Alnus serrulata (Hazel alder) are
consid
sidered as good trees. Betula lute (Sweet birch) and B. nigra (Red
hirch) are treated fair and Malus sylvestris (Apple) is very poor to
support the growthof shiitake mushroom. The back layer protects the
OTOwing mycelium from the various mould competitors. Although it
on any size and age of logs, but the log with 9-18 cm diameter
grows
and from 15 to 20 years old tree are most suitable. The time of failing
or cutting the trees is also equally important. The most suitable period
is from autumn (December-January) to early spring when the logs
contain highest amount of carbohydrates and other organie
substrates. Moreover the outer protective layer, bark is also tightly
attached with the woody portion. The logs should contain a moisture
content of 44-55% at the time of felling. If the moisture content of the
log is less than 20% then there will be no growth. f the moisture
contents are more than 60% with a pH of 7-8, it will be contaminated
The
With other moulds. The pH of the logs should be between 4-5-5-5.
in the lowering
eed logs are left as such for 25-45 days which results
are immediately
Le moisture contents to 40-45%. Sometimes the logs
further drying will
OCulated, if the moisture content is optimum and
result in excessive moisture loss.

Spawn Preparation
M are two types of spawn, saw dust
and wood plug spawn.
ere
92W dust
spawn is prepared using any formulae, *
Used tea leaves (20%)
TA aust (65%)+ Wheat bran (15%6) +

Water (65%),
+
Calcium
2. Saw dust (78%) +Wheat bran (20%)
+ Sucrose (1%)
carbonate (1%) + Water content (65%)
EDM N0E
DUA CA RA
298
LENTINULA EDODES
CULTIVATION
OF
(H) THE SHIITAKE MUSHROOM

called as shiitake
commonly The
(Plate-16)
Lentinula edodes, most popular
and important cultiv ated
Mushroom is
Japanese Wood mushroom cultivated ni the
is the 2d largest
mushroonm in Japan. It grown for thousancde of
bisporus. It has been
world after Agaricus
diameter and hard wood logs. In ia its
Asia on small
years in tonnes (Chang, 1999), 1S
about 15, 64,000
annual production was taste and flavour and
because of its unique
liked by the
consumers

chemical which reduces plasma cholesterol level. It i

presence of a
People's republic of China, Taiwan. s
mainly cultivated in Japan, It in nature on the wood of
Korea and United State of America. grows
chestnut. Lentinus was artificially
broad leaf trees mainly oak and
saw dust and
cultivated in India on wood logs, artificial medium,
wheat straw supplemented with Wheat and rice bran (Dhar, 1976.
Suman and Seth, 1082, Sohi and Upadhyay, 1988, Thakur and
Sharma, 1992). Recently Sharma (2003-04) got good success in
cultivating Malaysian strain of Lentinus edodes on wheat straw with
biological efficiency of about 45 per cent.
Cultivation Technique on Wood Logs
Lentinula edodes grows in nature on the dead wood of a number of
hard wood trees mainly Quercus spp. (Oak), Castenopsis spp. (C.
chinensis, C. tissa, C. fordil, C. lamontii etc.). Elaeocarpus spp. (E.
chinenses, E. japonicus, E. lancaefolius), Lithocarpus spp. (L
calophylla, L. glaber, L. spicatus), Betula spp. and Carpinus spp.
various plant species graded for cultivation
either those which
adopting suitable strains
can fruit at or above 10 °C. The detailed cultivation
technique is as follows:
) Log preparation (2) Spawn preparation (3) Spawning logs (4) CTOP
management
Log Preparation
The
mycelium of Lentinula edodes is
Tungi. It mainly grows on dried wooden saprophytic and wood i tting
logs om
Various trees which are absorbing nutrients ri" the
the cambiun.
suitable as logs
REDI E RG
MI DUAL ARA
cultivation of shiitake has been rated excellent, good, fair, poor and
very poor according to their performance. Among the excellent trees
are the Carpinus laxiflora (Hornbean), Castanea crenate (Japanes),
Castanopsis cuspidata (Shii), C. sieboldii (Shii), Ostrya virginiana
(Ironwood), Quercus abla (White oak), Q. acutissima (Oak), Quercus
spp. (Oak), Salix nigra (Black willow), where as. Betula lute (Sweet
birch), B. nigra (Red birch) and Alnus serrulata (Hazel alder) are
considered as good trees. Betula lute (Sweet birch) and B. nigra (Red
birch) are treated fair and Malus sylvestris (Apple) is very poor to
support the growthof shiitake mushroom. The back layer protects the
growing mycelium from the various mould competitors. Although it
grows on any size and age of logs, but the log with 9-18 cm diameter
and fromn 15 to 20 years old tree are most suitable. The time of failing
or cutting the trees is also equally important. The most suitable period
is from autumn (December-January) to early spring when the logs
contain highest amount of carbohydrates and other organic
substrates. Moreover the outer protective layer, bark is also tightly
attached with the woody portion. The logs should contain a moisture
moisture content of the
content of 44-55% at the time of felling. If the
If the moisture
log is less than 20% then there will be no growth. contaminated
Contents are more than 60% with a pH
of 7-8, it will be
The
with other moulds. The pH of the logs should be between 4.5-5-5.
which results in the lowering
felled logs are left as such for 25-45 days
Sometimes the logs are immediately
the moisture contents to 40-45%.
content is optimum and
further drying will
inoculated, if the moisture
resut in excessive moisture loss.

Spawn Preparation
of spawn, saw dust and plug spawn.
wood
Mainly there are two types
formulae,
Saw dust spawn is prepared using any
+ Used tea leaves (20%)
+
1. Saw dust (65%)+
Wheat bran (15%)
Water (65%),
Calcium
(19%) +Wheat bran (20%)
+
Sucrose
2. Saw dust (78%) +

(arbonate (15 Wabos content (65%)

MDJAL CATEK
 300

Rice bran (200 g) + Suerose (3 g)

3. Saw dust (800 8)+ Caleium carbonate (6 g) + Water (
Potassium nitrate (4 8)
+

Litres).
size wnd particlos
Saw dust afterproperly sicving to remove bigger
mixed with water. Normally on
and other impurities, it is thoroughly
or two drops of should ooze out when pressed between the
water
bottles or in
fingers. It is then filled into either empty spawn
inoculation hole is
polypropylene bags. With the help of a road, one
made into the centre of the substrate. The spawn containers
are

plugged with nonabsorbent cotton and covered with aluminium foil.

It is then autoclaved at 20 pounds pressure p. s. i. for 2 hours. The
actively growing mycelium of 10 days old culture is inoculated
aseptically and incubated for 30 days at 24 + 2 °C. Contaminated
bottles are discarded for further use.
Wood plug spawn is prepared by inoculating mycelium on small
wedge shaped or either small cylindrical wood pieces. When the
fungal mycelium impregnates the wood pieces, they are ready for
inoculation.

Spawning the Logs

The shiitake mycelium grows between 5 to 30 °C but the most
optimum temperature is 20-26 °C. Low temperatures (14-20 °C) are
favoured during spawning logs, so that there is minimum growth of
mould competitors. For spawn inoculation, small holes of1x 1 cm and
15 to 2 cm deep are made on the logs with the help of drilling
machine. The holes are made at a distance of 20-30 cm (long axis)
and 6 cm between each row. The holes between two
rows, are
alternate in position. Saw dust spawn is filled in the holes or wood
plug spawn is inserted by cutting out similar size pieces. The saw dust
spawn should be kept soft and not tightly pressed. The holes are
sealed with paraffin wax. The
spawning should be mostly done in
aseptic condition.
Crop Management
Inoculated logs are kept in open at a place where the
physical
coiitoas are inóst favourable for thhe
ML DLA A EK mycelial growth. The
 Rice bran (200 g)+ Sucrose (30 g)
3. Saw dust (8o0 g) +
Calcium carbonate (6 g) + Water (
Potassium nitrate (4 8) +

Litres).
to bigger size wood particles
Saw dust after properly sieving remove

and other impurities, it is thoroughly mixed with water. Normally one

or two drops of water should ooze out when pressed between the
fingers. It is then filled into either empty spawn bottles or in
polypropylene bags. With the help of a road, one inoculation hole is
made into the centre of the substrate. The spawn containers are
plugged with non absorbent cotton and covered with aluminium foil.
It is then autoclaved at 20 pounds pressure p. s. i. for 2 hours. The
actively growing mycelium of 10 days old culture is inoculated
aseptically and incubated for 30 days at 24 + 2 °C. Contaminated
bottles are discarded for further use.
Wood plug spawm is prepared by inoculating mycelium on small
wedge shaped or either small cylindrical wood pieces. When the
fungal mycelium impregnates the wood pieces, they are ready for
inoculation.

Spawning the Logs

The shitake mycelium
grows between 5 to 30 °C but the most
optimum temperature is 20-26 °C. Low temperatures (14-20 °C) are
favoured during spawning logs, so that there is
minimum growth of
mould competitors. For
spawn inoculation, small holes of 1 x 1 cm and
1.5 to 2 cm deep are made on the
machine. The holes are made at a logs with the help of drilling
and 6 cm
distance of 20-30 cm (long axis)
between each row. The holes
alternate in position. Saw dust between two rows, are
spawn is filled in the holes or wood
plug spawn is inserted by
cutting out similar size pieces. The saw dust
spawn should be kept soft and
not tightly
sealed with
paraffin wax. The spawning should pressed. The holes are
aseptic condition. be mostly done in

Crop Management
Inoculated logs are
kept in open at a
place where the physical
conpiigate incst savourable for the mycelial growth. The
MI DUA AKA growth.
inoculated logs are kept in a flat pile so that there is minimum
light
exposure. The pile should be covered with either straw, or gunny bags
to prevent excessive water loss of the
logs. The vegetative growth in
the logs will be completed within 8-12 months
depending upon the
culture strain and the type of wood used.
For fruitbody induction it requires, temperature shock of
temperature drop, high humidity and enough light. The logs for
fruiting are either sprayed with cold water or immersed in a tank of
cold water. If the logs are immersed in cold water, then
during
summer they should be kept for 24 hours in cold water
(15-18 °C)
while during winter they should be kept for 2-3 days at 10-15 °C.
The logs are then leaned against the supports. The cropping area is
kept moist to maintain high relative humidity. The temperature
should be 15-20 °C and humidity around 80-9o per cent. Fruit bodies
are harvested by first pressing and then twisting. Mushrooms are
harvested upto 3 times and after a rest for 30-40 days they again
watered to get more mushrooms. It can be repeated upto 3-4 times
per year and these logs will produce crop upto 4-6 years.

Synthetie Log Cultivation

The cultivation of shiitake is becoming very popular. This method is
practized in Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore, Newzealand, USA,
Finland, Netherlands, Germany, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Various steps involved in this method are substrate preparation,
spawning, spawn run and fruiting.

Substrate Preparation
The commercial cultivation can be carried out on saw dust of oak
(Queruus sp,) maple (Acer Sp) birch (Betula sp.) or any other hard
wood was dust graded as excellent for log cultivation. Various
formulations have been recommended for growing shiitake. One can
select the best after conducting the productivity tests. Some of the
common formulations recommended by (Mori et. al., 1974; Royse et.
Al, 1985; Han et. al., 1981; Song, 1986) are:
RE3wlost-(20%,+ Rice bran (20%) + Water content adjusted to
MI Ob TA 1R
2. Saw dust maple and birch 60: 40 (80%) + Millet (10%) + Wheat
bran (10%6)
3. Hard wood saw dust (89.8%) +Rice bran (10%) + Caleium
carbonate (o.2%) + Water content to be adjusted (60%)
4. Hard wood saw dust (32.8-34.2% /100 Kg) + Rice bran (2.7-
5.2%/8-16 Kg)+ Corn/rice/millet powder (1.4-2.6%/4-8 Kg) +
Calcium carbonate (o.2-0.3%/ o.6-1.0 Kg) + Water content (59-
62%)
5. Corn cobs (40 Kg) +Saw dust (10 Kg) + Wheat bran (12.5 Kg) +
Canesugar (1 Kg) + Pectin (15 g)+ Urea (20g)
6. Sugarcane bagasse (50 Kg) + Rice bran (12.5 Kg) + Gypsum (1.5
Kg)Potassium sulphate (15 g + Urea (15 g) + Magnesium
sulphate (10 g) and
7 Paddy straw (50%) +Wheat straw (20%) + Saw dust (20%) + Cane
sugar (1.3%) + Calcium carbonate (1.5%) + Citric acid (o.2%) +

Calcium sulphate (o.5%).

To these formulae, the water should be adjusted to 60-65%. The pH
should be stabilized by gypsum and lime at 5-5 to 6.0. Soluble
ingredients (citric acid, sugar, sulphates) are usually dissolved first in
water before mixing, saw dust has to be soaked at least for two days
and rice straw for three hours. All the ingredients are thoroughly
mixed.

Filling of Bags and Sterilization

Fill the bags (1.5 to 4 Kg) immediately after mixing and wetting the
substrate. Otherwise fermentation and contamination will start.
Polypropylene (heat resistant) bags are used (500 x 160 mm). The
ends of the bags are sealed with heat. The bags are first loosely filled
and later by putting the pressure, cylindrical shape is given to the
bags. Some growers make holes for later inoculation before seml-
sterilization, other will make holes after the heat treatment. Two 15
mm diameter 20 mm deep holes are punched on opposite sides with
an auger. The holes are covered with 33 mm
square adhesive medical
tape. The time between miang the supplements and sterilization
shotdi Me Ieas: tsau six uours to avoid fermentation. Bags can also be
fitted with iron ring and plugged with non-absorbent cotton. Heat
treatment can be carried out in an autoclave at 121 °C for 1 hour or on
a brick and cement lined-tower at 90-95 °C for 5-7 hours. Both system
of heat treatment are used commercially.

Spawning and Spawn Run

If no holes were made before sterilization, the bags are cleaned with
70% alcohol and forceps are used to make holes. The tape is put back
or applied directly after the spawn has been inserted. The substrate is
pressed back on the spot of inoculation side. The saw dust spawn
amount per hole is about 1 em3 or little less. A 750 g spawn bottle can
inoculate 25-30 bags. Spawning can also be carried out be removing
the cotton pugs. Grain spawn is introduced at 2-5%. Spawn run may
take 18-100 days. During this period, the bags are generally incubated
in a 4 hr/2o hrlight/ dark cycles at 23-25 °C. After longer spawn runs
(more than 40 days) the surface of the colonized substrate may begin
to turn brown, some exudates may be recognised in the spawm run of
shitake. Subsequently the following stages are observed:

Mycelial Coat Formation

A thick mycelial sheet will develop on the surface of the substrate.
This will occur 2-4 weeks after inoculation.

Mycelial Bump Formation

Bumps are clumps of mycelium, commonly formed on the surface of
most strains. These bumps can turn into primordial at a later stage
but most of them abort. Bump formation is promoted by fluctuation
temperatures and high carbon dioxide.
Pigmentation
Some aeration should be provided when the bumps have formed.

Coat Hardening Phase

Remove the plastic when bags have partially (half or one third) turned
brown. The coat will gradually become hard. The outside of the
te REDIMi hohardo tHk taside should be softer and more moist.
re MtpUADSTANaAa moisture of about 80%.
 Fruiting
induction of fruiting are temperature
Various factors which affect
removal of carbon dioxide
fluctuation, high humidity, soaking,
maintained during shiitake cultivation is
A schedule of various parameters
given below:

Stage/Activity Days Temp. Light intensity Humidity

(C) (Lux) (%)
30-120 20-30 none 65-70
1. Incubation
10-20 500-1000 85-95
2. Induction 2-4
7-14 12-18 500-100o 60-80
3. Fruiting
7-21 20-30 none 65-70
4. Rest
2-4 10-20 500-1000 85-95
5. Induction
1. The temperature range for fruiting is strain dependent.
2. A dry period after harvesting will prevent contamination.

3. The artificial logs may be given a water bath to restore high

moisture content of the substrate.

The logs do not require watering during incubation. Keep humidity

low (60-70%) to prevent contamination if the plastic is removed too
early or too late, yields will be affected. Deformed fruit bodies during
the first flush are a sign of a too short spawn run or high carbon
dioxide during incubation.

Harvesting
Take the stalks of the mushrooms and break them from the substrate.
Don't tear them from the surface. Harvest the mushrooms at, an early
stage. Don't water the scars left for 3-4 days. Normal yields are 15
30% of the wet weight of the substrate.

Advantages of Plastic Bag Method

The materials used to prepare synthetic logs are mainly saw dust and
other agricultural by- products or residues such as bagasse, sugarbeet
residuce, cotton seed hulls, peanut hull and corncobs. This method
shortens the production period and gives a high yield. Using natural
cULTIVATION TECHNOLOGY OF SPECIALITY MUSHROOM
305

logs. the time from spawnin8 to first harvest is about 8 to 12 months

nd harvesting is completedin about 3 years. About 100 Kg of natural
logs can produce about 10-15 Kg fresh mushrooms. In synthetic logs.
mushrooms can be harvested în about 80 days after spawnming.
Completion of harvesting is generally within 8 months. Very high
biological of 100-145% is generally obtained during this period. The
technology of growing this mushroom on wheat straw with moderate
biological efficiency has brought shiitake in the category of oyster or
paddy straw mushrooms which are believed to cultivate quite easily.
of mushrooms
Bag cultivation is relatively easy to manage. Quality
produced on synthetic log is poorer than on natural logs.

REFERENCES - I S s o S
S. T. World production of cultivated edible and medicinal
Chang, 1999. in
on Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing.
mushrooms in 1997 with emphasis
China International J. Med. Mush. 291-300.
1:
wood inhabiting
Japanese method of cultivating
Dhar, B. L. 1976.
2: 26-32.
mushrooms. Indian J. Mush. and
C. Chen and s. T. Chang. 1981. Physiology
L.
Han, Y. H., W. T. Ueng, (Berk.) Sing.
Mushroom Sci. 11: 623-658.
of Lentinus edodes
ecology Hybridization of shiitake
(Lentinus
A. Zennyozi. 1974. Taiwan
Mori, K., S. Fukai andcultivated strains of Japan and wild strains in
edodes) between
Mush. Sci. 9: 391-402.
and New Guinea. Diehle. 1985. Shiitake mushrooms
Schisler and D.
A.
Sei. Rev. 329-
Royse, D. J., L. C. and cultivation. Interdisplinary
consumption, production

335 technology of specialty

Standardization of cultivation NRCM,
Chambaghat.
Sharma, S. R. 2003-2004.

m u s h r o o m s . Annual
Progress report cultivation of
Lentinus
Mushroom
1986.
C. Upaddhyay.
Sohi, H. S. and R. India, Solan India. pp60-61.
Sing. in of Agriculture,
edodes (Berk.)
of plastic bags. Dept.
cultivation
Taiwan. 66p.
S. F. 1983. Shiitake Teaching,
Song, Government,
Lentinus
edodes (Berk.)
Taiwan Provincial Cultivation of
Seth. 1982.
and P. K. Mush. 8: 44-40.
Suman, B. C.artificial medium. Indian J. supplementation
for for
Sing. on Substrate
and Mush.
Sharma. 1992. (Berk.) Sing.
edodes
and s. R.
Thakur, Kiran
Lentinus

of shiitake,
cultvation
ne
Information 9: 7-10.

REDMI9l:
MI DUAL CAME R