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.

View full abstract

Humidifiers can control moisture conditions during mushroom cultivation. However, production sites have been demanding humidifiers with easy maintenance and the ability to control the quantity of mist. In this study, we developed a new humidifier, "e-mush", and demonstrated its application during mushroom cultivation. e-mush could produce atomized particle sizes in the range of 2-10μm and humidify a cultivation facility without causing wetting, indicating its ability to maintain moisture conditions and temperature during cultivation. Application of e-mush for humidification increased the fruit body yield and improved the quality of the fruit bodies compared to conventional humidifiers.

View full abstract

Pholiota nameko is a common edible mushroom in Japan, although its function as a food has not been investigated. In this report, the radical-scavenging activity of fruiting bodies of P. nameko obtained from bottle cultivation was analyzed. Three strains of P. nameko, Fukushima N1, Fukushima N2, and KX008, were cultivated in three types of sawdust media and flushed. The fruiting bodies were then harvested in the button-cap and flat stages. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity of 80% ethanol extract from these fruiting bodies was measured. DPPH radical-scavenging activity of the flat-stage fruiting bodies was higher than that of the button-cap stage in every case. In addition, the Fukushima N1 strain had higher activity than the Fukushima N2 and KX008 strains, especially in the first flush and when rice bran was used as a nutrient. These results indicate that the harvesting stage, strain and nutrition in sawdust media affect the radical-scavenging activity of fruiting bodies of P. nameko.

View full abstract

Residue of poaceous (gramineous) crops, such as rice straw, comprises a huge quantity of biomass in Japan. We investigated the mushroom cultivation properties of poaceous crop residues and evaluated the potential of these residues as mushroom cultivation media. A total of 81 species, 97 stocks of edible mushrooms and 5 species of crop residues were used in this investigation. Each fungus was inoculated to the solid medium made by each crop residue, and mycelial growth was measured. Mycelial growth of fungi was fastest on rye straw medium, and 14 of 97 stocks grew more than 5.0mm/d. Mycelial growth on six-row barley straw was also rapid. Fungi of the family Pleurotaceae, such as Pleurotus ostreatus, and Morchella esculenta grew quickly on most crop residues.

View full abstract