CULTIVATION TIPS JOHN PEETERS European shiitake on wood substrate
Consumption of shiitake has increased as a result of their growing popularity and because consumers are becoming more familiar with this, according to Europeans, exotic mushroom. The health benefits attributed to the mushroom also play an important role. The mushroom originates in East Asia and is known by its Japanese name that is a compound of, ‘take’ meaning mushroom and ‘shii’ for the pasania tree it naturally grows on. Its Latin name is Lentinula edodes.
In Japan, shiitake mushrooms were grown on logs until the 1980s and some growers still use this practice today (see also the Challenges article in this issue). Beech trunks were sawn into a manage- able size and then inoculated with shii- take spawn. It took about six months for the spawn to colonise the logs. Then the logs were immersed in a tub of water to initiate fructification before the mushrooms could be harvested a few months later. A normal growing cycle on a log takes nine to 12 months and once the mycelium has colonised the logs they sometimes continue to produce mushrooms for years. More than 80% of shiitake production still takes place in Japan, and exporting substrate and spawn for shiitake is banned. Nowadays, shiitake is increasingly pro- duced on wood substrate. Production is much faster and many commercial growers choose to use this substrate, which has already been colonised by the shiitake mycelium for at least three to four months at the substrate producers. The substrate is placed in growing rooms. Growing shiitake appears to be easier than growing common mushrooms. After arrival, the substrate blocks are often placed in climate controlled room on trolleys normally used to transport flowers and plants. The mushrooms subsequently appear naturally. Nevert- heless, a number of things still need to be considered. Firstly, when to remove the film wrapped around the blocks is decisive for the timing of production. In many cases, harvesting can start a week after the film has been removed. It is also a good idea to cold shock the
substrate blocks to trigger the mushrooms into fruiting. This technique (see photo) involves removing the film, briefly rinsing or submerging the block in cold water and then leaving the blocks in a cold store overnight. The logs are then returned to the growing room. It is also wise to increase the distance between the blocks by stacking some on another trolley or placing them on shelves. This removes the CO2 that is produced more effectively. The climate in the growing room should preferably be regulated to suit the pinning phase
and the harvesting phase. Pinning will occur at a temperature between 13 and 14°C with a relative humidity of 97-99%. Shortly before harvest, after about five days, the temperature can possibly be adjusted to 14°C with 90% RH. Throughout this period, it is best to maintain a CO2 value of 1500 ppm or lower. Shiitake can be grown in old mushroom growing rooms but remember that coo- ling is a key factor.
By John Peeters
52 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
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