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Shiitake Mushroom Production;

It is also called black forest mushroom or log mushroom ( Lentinula edodes).

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Traditional method of growing shiitake in Japan is growing it on wood logs but in USA and
China they found it easy to grow it on synthetic logs due to environmental conservation.

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Synthetic Log Method:

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Synthetic bag can be made using substrate placed into plastic bags. Substrate +
supplements + buffers

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a) Substrate formulations
i) Substrates-Sawdust (cured if not from broad leafed tree varieties), cottonseed hulls,
coffee hulls, corn cobs, sunflower seed hulls
ii) PH buffer use calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide.
iii) Supplement with brown sugar
N.B. Keep bags on cemented floor for better results

or

Substrate preparation is done same way as oyster.

Incubation stages
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1. Spawn run or mycelia growth stage- stage during which digestion of food takes place
2. Mycelial coat formation - mycelia will thicken and become dense forming a coat on the
outer side of the sawdust or substrate

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Environmental factors triggering coat formation are:

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3. Bump formation on the substrate coat: This stage can be called the blister stage,
popcorn stage. Too many bumps will increase chances of contamination so reduce the
number of bumps by lowering CO2 levels on bags by cutting slits on the polythene bags.

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Carbon dioxide: - the higher the CO2, the more the coating and the better the crop.

4. Browning\pigmentation\coat hardening
Oxygen stage and Diffused light-. In the presence of oxygen and light, oxidation occurs and
the white Mycelia turn reddish brown on the surface of the mycelia while middle of the bag
remains white. When one third of bag turns brown, they are ready for fruiting.

Fruiting
Is triggered by changing the environment:
Light
Humidity
Temperature
Aeration

Ways of triggering fruiting

Spraying cold water
Physical shaking
Soaking in cold water
Electrical stimulation

Harvesting
Shiitake mushroom will be ready for picking after 8 days. After 14 days you can get another
flush. First flush of shiitake mushroom comes 3-4 months of incubation. There can be a
total of 4 flushes.
After harvesting separate harvested bags from the rest to reverse the environment as it was
in beginning
GANODERMA SPP
Most common species;
Ganoderma luciderm.
Other species are
Ganoderma applanatum
Ganoderma oregonense
It is not an edible mushroom but most important medicinal mushroom. It has been
documented in material medical and classified as a superior herb 2000 years ago.
As a medicinal mushroom, it is used in small\low doses and costs US$500/kg
Has similar production process as oyster mushroom but incubation takes place at 85% RH.
It forms a wide primordial (pin heading) margin which disappears when the mushroom is
ready for picking.
Primordial formation to picking takes 3- 4 weeks.

Utilization of Ganoderma:
Dry the ganoderma mushroom (this will keep for long), grind. Boil powder in water. Let it
simmer for 30-60 minutes. It is used in manufacturing of mushroom tea/ coffee