Japan is the major producer and consumer of G. The mushrooms then are vacuum packed and placed into boxes for shipment to market. When the mushrooms are 13 to 14 cm long, the collars are removed and the mushrooms are pulled as a bunch from the substrate. This collar serves to hold the mushrooms in place so that they are long and straight. As the mushrooms begin to elongate above the lip of the bottle, a plastic collar is placed around the neck and secured with a Velcro® strip. To further improve quality during fruiting, temperatures are lowered to 3 to 8C until harvest. At the time of original inoculum removal, the air temperature is lowered to 10 to 12C for 10 to 14 days. When the substrate is fully colonized, the original inoculum is removed mechanically from the surface of the substrate and the bottles may be placed upside down for a few days. at 120C), mechanically inoculated and incubated at 18 to 20C for 20 to 25 days. After filling into bottles, the substrate is sterilized (4 hr. In the United States, a bran-supplemented medium, consisting primarily of corncobs, serves as the primary medium. Sawdust consisting primarily of Cryptomeria japonica, Chamaecyparis obtusa or aged (9 to 12 months) Pinus spp. Substrates (primarily sawdust and rice bran 4:1 ratio) are mechanically mixed and filled into heat resistant bottles with a capacity of 800 to 1,300 ml. Production of most enokitake in Japan is based on synthetic substrate contained in polypropylene bottles. In the United States, for example, enokitake production has increased at an estimated rate of 25% or more per year for the last four years. From these data, it is evident that other countries are enjoying a faster growth rate, in terms of total production. In 1986, Japan produced 74,387t by 1991, production had risen to 95,123t and, by 1997, Japan produced 174,100t-an increase of about 45% in six years. Japan is the main producer of enokitake (Furukawa 1987). 1) has increased from about 143,000 metric tons in 1990 to about 285,000t in 1997 (a 2-fold increase, Chang 1999). Temperature, light intensity and relative humidity all interact to influence the nature and quality of the basidomata. Light intensity of more than 500 lux during the spawn run may result in premature formation of primordia. Temperatures for spawn run are maintained at about 25C +or- 2C for about 28 to 30 days. After the mycelium is allowed to colonize the substrate (spawn run). The spawn then is mixed into the substrate either mechanically or by hand. For direct use of substrate, a mixture of cottonseed hulls (93%), wheat bran (5%), sucrose (1%), and calcium carbonate (1%) is moistened to about 60% moisture and then filled into polypropylene bags.Īfter the substrate has cooled, it is inoculated with either grain or sawdust spawn. The pile then is covered with plastic and turned (remixed) twice at two-day intervals. Composted substrate is prepared by mixing and watering ingredients in a large pile.

In either case, the mixed substrate (about 2.5 kg wet wt) is filled into heat resistant polypropylene bags and sterilized (substrate temperature 121C) for 60 min. For cultivation on natural logs, members of the oak family (Fagaceae) are preferred, but many other species of both hard and softwoods may be used.įor synthetic medium production of Auricularias, the substrate may be composted for up to 5 days or used directly after mixing. polytricha commonly are produced on a synthetic medium consisting of sawdust, cottonseed hulls, bran and other cereal grains or on natural logs of broad-leaf trees (Quimio 1982, Chang and Quimio 1982, Oei 1996). production now represents about 7.9% of the total cultivated mushroom supply world-wide.Īuricularia auricula and A. This value is an increase of 85,000t or 18% over 1990 levels (Chang 1999). Commonly known as wood ear, Auricularia auricula is the first recorded cultivated mushroom (Chang 1993).

Auricularia auricula georgia