Introduction Cultivated Mushrooms

Cultivation of mushrooms as a research endeavor in U.S.A. Only Penn. State a degree program: Mushroom Science Common in Asian countries, in Horticulture departments. Will use term mushroom in a broad sense, again.

Introduction
Consumption of mushroom probably occurred during prehistory, in hunting and foraging period. Unlike plants could not be cultivated at first and was be collected a long period of time. Even today, relatively few species of mushrooms can be cultivated.

History
Mushrooms thought to be special and supernatural in origin. 4600 years ago, Egyptians believed mushrooms to be plants of immortality. Pharaohs decreed that only they could eat mushrooms.

History
Mushrooms thought to be special and supernatural in origin. Chinese and Japanese have utilized mushrooms for medicinal usage for thousands of years. Romans thought mushrooms were the food of the gods.

History
Many people presently collect mushrooms for the purpose of consumption, but Many myths and false concepts still survive today concerning mushrooms. Many species have now been cultivated, but Relative to number of edible species, few cultivated.

History
Different cultures cultivated different species. Cultivation of mushrooms in Western cultures first recorded in 1650. Agaricus bisporus was first species cultivated, on compost. In Asia, specifically China and Japan, it is not known when cultivation began. Several species of mushrooms cultivated, on wood.

Cultivated Species
Will cover some examples of cultivated species in Eastern and Western Cultures. Will also go over some new possibilities. Will start off with Agaricus bisporus.

Also referred to as the Button Mushroom, most cultivated species. Mushroom First species cultivated in Western culture, in Paris, France, around 1650. First observed growing in melon crop compost. For 160 years grown in open field. Then moved underground into caves, excavated tunnels or quarries. Still used in France

Agaricus bisporus

From France, method of cultivation learned by England. By 1865, United States began mushroom cultivation. Spawn (=mycelium of mushroom) was initially imported from England. United States did not develop its own spawn until 1903. Initially, mushroom growing was a backyard endeavor.

Agaricus bisporus

Generating Spawn
A medium in which to grow mycelium. Autoclave to sterilize medium.

Generating Spawn
A source of mycelium. Spores.

Grain medium Pressure cooker

Spores in syringe

Wipe injection site with sterile swab

http://www.spiritgarden.co.uk/spawnbag.php

Generating Spawn
A source of mycelium. Spores.

Generating Spawn
A source of mycelium. Tissue culture.

Inoculate spores
http://www.spiritgarden.co.uk/spawnbag.php

Tear mushroom apart

Aseptically excise tissue

A source of mycelium. Incubate

Generating Spawn

By 1865, United States began mushroom cultivation (continued). By 1914, cultivation of button mushroom was becoming industrialized. Southern Pennsylvania largest mushroom growers in U.S., 85% of mushrooms. In 1970s and 80s, Penn. State improved yield of mushrooms, keeping U.S. competitive with rest of world.

Agaricus bisporus

Initial growth

Spawn grows throughout medium

http://www.spiritgarden.co.uk/spawnbag.php

Cultivating Agaricus bisporus

Method for growing well known, but poorly understood. Substrate includes mostly horse manure, wheat straw, corn cobs, and several other waste plant products and animal waste. Mixed and allowed to sit and compost. Breakdown of complex compounds to simple compounds.

Cultivating Agaricus bisporus

Will become very hot due to biological activities. When complete will have consistency of thick oat meal, when cooled. Agaricus bisporus spawn can then be inoculated into substrate and grow through substrate rapidly if maintained at 24 C.

Cultivating Agaricus bisporus

Casing Layer is placed over substrate. Normally, clay soil. Critical phase! Bacterial activity, soluble salts and lowering temperature to 14-18 C, critical Mushroom buttons form just below casing layer.

Cultivating Agaricus bisporus

Compost pile:

http://www.personal.psu.edu/mab568/AgaricusV2.htm

Cultivating Agaricus bisporus

Pasteurization:

Cultivating Agaricus bisporus

Spawning:

http://www.personal.psu.edu/mab568/AgaricusV2.htm

http://www.personal.psu.edu/mab568/AgaricusV2.htm

Cultivating Agaricus bisporus

Casing:

Cultivating Agaricus bisporus

Harvesting:

http://www.personal.psu.edu/mab568/AgaricusV2.htm

http://www.personal.psu.edu/mab568/AgaricusV2.htm

Agaricus bisporus
Genetic variants of A. bisporus. Portobello. Portobello

Agaricus bisporus
Genetic variants of A. bisporus. (continued). Crimini. Crimini

Like white button mushroom, but expanded and brown.

Like white button mushroom, but brown.

Prior to 1970s, Agaricus bisporus was only species cultivated in U.S. In early 1970s, some attempts to grow other species. Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom). Common on dead wood, in Europe and North America.

Pleurotus ostreatus

Pleurotus ostreatus
Now commonly in U.S. supermarkets. Cultivation first described at beginning of 20th Century. Innovation in cultivation of mushroom growing on wood in late 1950s made cultivation of P. ostreatus possible. By late 1970s, became common in supermarkets.

Many other species, but were from already cultivated species of Asia. Actual beginning of mushroom cultivation in Asia, unknown. Probably best known species is (=Shiitake) . Mostly sold dried in U.S.

Lentinus edodes

Lentinus edodes
Since 1970s, has been cultivated in U.S. and now available, fresh, at supermarkets. Species originally cultured, in China, about 800 years ago. Now grown extensively in China and Japan. Research in Japan also claims mushroom has medicinal use, i.e., antitumor activity, rich in D2.

Lentinus edodes

Cultivation of Shiitake. Initially began by placing logs with fruitbodies near logs cut for cultivation. Spores would eventually infect logs nearby. To ensure fungus would infect logs, holes drilled in logs and wooden dowel with the mycelium placed in hole and sealed.

Lentinus edodes

Cultivation of Shitake (continued): Logs kept moist and in 6-9 months mushrooms will begin to form. May continue to form for as long as several years.

Lentinus edodes

Cultivation of Shitake (continued): Difficulty in finding logs forced innovation of better method: placing sawdust and carbohydrate in polypropylene bag, which is sterilized.

Lentinus edodes

Cultivation of Shitake (continued): Polypropylene bag method (continued).

Lentinus edodes

Cultivation of Shitake (continued): Polypropylene bag method (continued).

Lentinus edodes

Volvariella volvacea
Also known as the Paddy Straw Mushroom.

Not available fresh in U.S., usually canned.

Volvariella volvacea
Americans have had it in Chinese restaurants. Origin of cultivation uncertain, but believed to be as early as 1822. Became more widely dispersed in other areas where Chinese have migrated. Origin in Hawaii likely during 19th. Century.

Volvariella volvacea
Cultivation of Paddy Straw Mushroom: Grown mostly on composted rice paddy straw, but also on other plant waste products. Other products included dried banana leaves and oil palm waste. Until 1972, with introduction of cotton waste, yield of mushrooms was very low.

Cultivation of Paddy Straw Mushroom (continued): Cotton waste made mass cultivation of mushroom possible. Industrial production of mushroom now in Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia. Cotton waste with 4% rice or wheat straw and 4-6% agricultural limestone allowed to compost for 2-3 days.

Volvariella volvacea

Cultivation of Paddy Straw Mushroom (continued): Turned at least once, pasteurized with steam. Many countries still use lower yielding water material method.

Volvariella volvacea

Cultivation of Paddy Straw Mushroom (continued): Turned at least once, pasteurized with steam. Many countries still use lower yielding water material method.

Volvariella volvacea

Several species cultivated, but most common are A. auricula and A. cornea

Auricularia Spp.

(=A. polytricha)

First species, temperate and other tropic to subtropic and occurs commonly in Hawaii.

Auricularia cornea was one of the edible fungi in ancient China

First cultivation reliably reported in about 300-200 B.C. Now known to be cultivated in many South Pacific countries. Commonly called ear fungus regardless of where it is grown. Was commercially exported from Hawaii, during 19th Century.

Auricularia Spp.

Cultivation technique same as that of Shiitake and Oyster Mushroom.

Auricularia Spp.

Also known as the Silver Ear.

Tremella fuciformis

Long used as a herb, in China, for various ailments.

Said to extend life expectancy, cure tuberculosis and good for treating high blood pressure. Also, grown for food as well. Prior to cultivation, only rich could afford to have this mushroom. Once believed to be a wood decomposer, but now known to be a mycoparasite. Occurs in Hawaii.

Tremella fuciformis

Also known as the Enoki Cultivated on sawdust medium in a large, urnshaped container.

Flammulina velutipes

Cultivation of New Species

Truffles Several species cultivated:

Small delicate mushroom.

Available fresh in U.S., in supermarkets. Origin of cultivation obscured, but has been cultivated for several centuries. Two of most popular are Tuber melanosporum and T. magnatum.

Have been collected as far back as 1600 B.C. Unlike other mushrooms, truffles are subterranean and are Ascomycota. Cannot be cultivated in the usual sense because they form mycorrhizae, symbiotic relationship between roots of plant and fungus. Once believed to be a product of oak trees, as recently as 1903.

Truffles

Because of inability to mass produce, one reason why price has been as high as $800/lb. Until after World War II, the only means of obtaining truffles was collecting them in wild. In 1972, idea of growing truffles, in an oak plantation. Requires up to 10 years before first truffles are harvested.

Truffles

Harvesting truffles.

Truffles

Trees with truffle mycelium inoculated can be purchased. Some areas, other than Europe believed to have truffles, but never found, i.e. California. Numerous efforts have been made to grow oaks outside of native area have mostly failed, until 1987, when New Zealand attempted to grow truffles.

Truffles

http://www.plantin.com/truffles/hunting.html
http://encarta.msn.com/media_461529942/Truffle_Hunting.html

New Zealand was successful and it only took 5 years instead of 10. Why were they successful?. It is believed that since oaks are not native to New Zealand, no competitive mycorrhizal fungi replaces truffle mycelium on the roots of trees.

Truffles

Numerous species of morels occur and all are equally edible.

Morels

Morchella esculenta
(Morel)

Morels are also members of Ascomycota and have never been successfully cultivated, commercially.

Very much sought after, but not as pricey as truffles. Numerous attempts have been made to cultivate morels. Mycelium could be grown and initially commercial interest attempted to sell mycelium.

Morels

Gary Mills of Neogene Corporation, affiliated with Michigan State collaborated with Ron and seemed to successfully produce a high yield method, but only worked in Michigan. Attempts to use method elsewhere failed.

Morels

low.

Morchella esculenta, but yield was very

In 1980, Ron Ower grew the first morel,

Medicinal Mushroom
Many mushrooms cultivated for medicinal uses.

Lentinus edodes: In combination with

AIDs drugs to boost immune response, chronic fatigue and induces antibody formation to Hepatitis B

powerful antioxidant and can help to maintain a healthy immune system

Grifola frondosa (Maitake): Said to be a

Cordyceps sinensis (Winter Worm): helps increase stamina, energy levels, and endurance, aphrodisiac, stimulate immune system, and lowers bad- raises good cholesterol.

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Tremella fuciformis (Silver Ear): Antiaging, asthma, anti-tumor agent, and womens friend for skin, bone and weight control

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