Shiitake. Introduction to the industrial culture of the wood-destroying exotic longevity mushroom

The article presents information on the study of technological features of cultivation of a new type of wood-destroying mushroom – shiitake (Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sin), which is new for the Russian food mushroom market. Shiitake – one of the most promising types of edible mushrooms for industrial cultivation, which have medicinal properties, occupies the second place in the world production of edible mushrooms. The work on the search for materials used as additives to the main source material of the substrate and contributing to the creation of a favorable water-air and acid regime, increasing the nutritional value of the prepared substrate, accelerating the process of vegetative growth of mycelium in the substrate is relevant for mushroom growing practice. The purpose of the research – to develop the technological process of the full cycle of shiitake cultivation and to establish its optimal parameters in the production conditions of LLC April. Research, testing and development of the technology of the full cycle of shiitake cultivation were carried out in the laboratory of mushroom growing of ARRIVG – branch of Federal Scientific Centre of Vegetable Growing and on the basis of the existing enterprise for growing wood-destroying mushrooms LLC April from 2019 to 2020. The technology of preparing the substrate and growing shiitake fruit bodies is similar to the technology of producing oyster mushrooms. The influence of the substrate composition on the shiitake yield in the variants was studied: 1. Oak sawdust (80%) + birch sawdust (10%) + mineral additives (10%); 2. Oak sawdust (80%) + birch sawdust (5%) + sunflower seed husk, wheat bran (5%) + mineral additives (10%). The shiitake 0912 strain was used. As a result of testing the developed technological process of the full cycle of shiitake cultivation in production conditions, it was found that the optimal duration of the shiitake growing period and the harvest in the growing chambers is on average 53–68 days. The most important component of the technological process of shiitake cultivation is the preparation of the substrate, the selection of raw materials and biologically active additives that ensure its high nutritional value (total nitrogen content of 0.8–1.2% or more) and the possibility of obtaining a crop of more than 30–35% of the substrate weight with high economic efficiency of 290% (profitability of production).

Key words: shiitake, substrate, sterile technology, heat treatment method, autoclaving, oak sawdust, nutritional additives, fruit bodies, yield, cultivation facilities, multi-zone cultivation technology