Abstract
Sawdust is mainly used mushroom cultivation. In the present study, we examined whether glass beads could be used as a substitute for mushroom cultivation. The mycelium of Tamogitake (Pleurotus cornucopiae var. citrinopileatus) was cultured on a medium containing glass beads (5mm in diameter), rice bran and water (weight ratio 270:16:30). Fruit-bodies are obtained, but the growth of fruit-body primordia did not develop suppressed. When, cellulose was added to the culture to absorb water, fruit-body primordia grew well. However, the yield of fruit-bodies on the glass-beads medium was smaller than on the sawdust medium. By increasing the water content in culture medium, fruit-bodies grew well, and the yield obtained on the glass-beads medium was higher than on the sawdust medium. We also cultivated Hiratake (Pleurotus ostreatus), Enokitake (Flammulina velutipes), Bunashimeji (Hypsizigus marmoreus) and Nameko (Pholiota nameko) on the medium containing glass-beads, rice bran, cellulose and water (weight ratio 190:16:8:65). The mycelial growth of these mushrooms on the glass-beads medium was higher than on the sawdust medium. The fruit-body yields of each mushroom on the glass-beads medium were significantly higher than on the sawdust medium. The glass beads were useable after the washing.
