Cultivation and spawn production of the wood-decaying fungus, shiitake (Lentinula edodes). Optimization of spawn growth, Production of degradative enzymes and interaction with wood inhabitants. 1993. (VTT Publ., 157). figs. 1 col.pl. tabs. 302 p. gr8vo. Paper bd.

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes), a filamentous white-rot fungus, has been cultivated in Finland since 1985. There are currently 30 part-time growers, with a total annual mushroom production of 30.000 kg. The aims of this work were to enhance the cultivation of shiitake both on natural and artificial logs and to improve the production of mycelial spawn,which in the long term would lead to better profitability in shiitake cultivation. The growth requirements and characteristics of different shiitake strains were evaluated. Only a few of the available strainswere suitable for cultivation on artificial media. The steps in the liquid spawn production were optimized by determining the proper mycelial growth time, homogenization period and recovery time. Improvements of the spawn growth medium by sawdust and calcium supplementation were studied. Calcium addition facilitated the mycelial growth and resulted in a higher mushroom yield. Field experiments on shiitake cultivation showed that climatic and vegetative conditions in the ripening field, the mycelial strain used and the wood species chosen all affected the success of mushroom production. Shiitake was very sensitive to the antagonistic activity of wood-borne Pesudomonas bacteria. The reason for the growth inhibition and the role of Pseudomonas siderophores were also investigated.