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Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation Materials

1. Main Material

Wood sawdust is the main raw material for shiitake mushroom cultivation using substitute materials.  Tree species suitable for shiitake mushroom growth are mainly concentrated in the Fagaceae, Betulaceae, Aceraceae, and Hamamelidaceae families. Wood sawdust from trees in the Fagaceae family, such as oak, chestnut oak, and Castanopsis, has a dense texture, high density, low porosity, and high lignin content, making it more suitable for shiitake mushroom cultivation; while trees in the Theaceae family (e.g., Schima superba, Camellia oleifera) and Lauraceae family (e.g., Cinnamomum camphora, Phoebe zhennan) are not suitable for shiitake mushroom cultivation.

2. Auxiliary Materials

To promote better growth and development of shiitake mushroom mycelium in the culture medium and increase the yield of shiitake mushrooms cultivated with substitute materials, in addition to wood sawdust, nitrogen sources, sugars, and buffering materials must be added to the culture medium.

(1) Wheat bran or rice bran: This is not only a good nitrogen source for shiitake mushroom growth and development, but also a carbon source. The large amount of vitamin B₁ and other nutrients contained in wheat bran or rice bran are essential vitamins for promoting the spread and growth of shiitake mushroom mycelium. Wheat bran or rice bran should be fresh and free from mold.

(2) Sugar: Adding sugar to the culture medium can promote the absorption of nutrients by the mycelium in the early stages of colonization. There are brown sugar and white sugar; brown sugar is better than white sugar because brown sugar contains 10-20 times more glucose than white sugar and also contains a large amount of minerals such as iron, zinc, and manganese, as well as carotene and riboflavin. Brown sugar should be purchased and used immediately.

(3) Buffering materials: Gypsum, calcium carbonate, and superphosphate are added to the shiitake mushroom culture medium as buffering materials. They are mainly used to neutralize the organic acids produced by the shiitake mushroom mycelium during the decomposition of the culture medium, and can also reduce the tannin content in the wood sawdust, which is more conducive to the growth of shiitake mushroom mycelium.