Abstract
Yield, pileus size, freshness preservation, trehalose content and withdrawal rate of Lentinula edodes fruit bodies grown on substrates treated with trehalose by different methods were analyzed. Either 15 or 30g trehalose was injected into substrate 7 or 3 days before fruit body emergence at the first through third flushes. In the control group, fruit bodies were grown on substrate mixed with 30g trehalose. Injection of 15 or 30g trehalose 3 days before fruiting resulted in a greater fruit body yield and more fruit bodies above M-size compared to the control. Freshness of the fruit bodies at the first flush was evaluated based on the L^* value of the underside of the pileus and the visual commercial freshness score. Seven days after injection of 15 or 30g trehalose, freshness preservation was improved as compared with the control. Taken together, these results suggest that injection of 15 or 30g trehalose into substrates 3 days before fruit body emergence improves the yield, the percentage of M-sized or above fruit bodies and freshness preservation compared to the mixed treatment. Moreover, the trehalose content of air-dried fruit bodies at any flush after 15 or 30g injection was greater than that after mixing, while the withdrawal rate for injection of 15g trehalose was higher than that for the 30-g injection.
