Abstract
The effects of adding corncob meal to the medium on the yield of fruiting bodies in sawdust-based cultivation of Lentinula edodes using smoke-heated Cryptomeria japonica and Larix kaempferi sawdust were investigated. Mycelial growth of Lentinula edodes was promoted with an increase in the amount of corncob meal added to the media in both smoke-heated C. japonica and L. kaempferi woods. In Lentinula edodes sawdust cultivation, yields of fruiting bodies were increased by the additional 20% corncob meal, whereas 10 and 30% corncob meal did not show large positive effects. Of all the media examined, the sawdust bed containing the mixture of L. kaempferi and Fagus crenata (1:1, w:w) with 20% corncob meal gave the highest yield of fruiting bodies which was almost equal to that of Fagus crenata sawdust alone. The CN ratio of this medium was about 70. The results obtained in this experiment suggested that sawdust of smoke-heated softwood, especially L. kaempferi, can be sufficiently used as a substitute of hardwood for cultivating Lentinula edodes.
