Reutilization of Enokitake Cultural Waste as Lentinus edodes Cultivation Substrate

The availability of enokitake cultural waste for Lentinus edodes cultivation was investigated, although hardwood sawdust has traditionally been used as a substrate for this fungus. Firstly, physiochemical characteristics of cultural waste were analysed. Secondly, mycelial growth characteristics and fruiting yields of L. edodes on waste treated in some methods were determined. Physiochemical characteristics of enokitake cultural waste showed that the millwaste complex was a little degraded by enokitake fungus and suggested the probability that most component lost by enokitake could be rice bran. Mycelia of L. edodes grew and fruited well on waste supplemented by fresh rice bran and Quercus sawdust although didn't on waste only. Mycelial growths of these fungi on waste were accelerated when supplemented by rice bran to the percent of 40(w/w) but decreased or suppressed at above ratios(30, 40%, w/w). Supplementations of oak sawdust at above 40%(w/w) of the waste and rice bran at 20%(w/w) of the sawdust allowed such a good mycelial growth as to be selected as a pertinent mixing ratio for fruiting medium. A fruiting yield on enokitake cultural waste supplemented by oak sawdust (at 40% of the waste, w/w) and rice bran (at 20% of the sawdust, w/w) was not inferior to that on oak sawdust supplemented by rice bran only (at 20% of the sawdust, w/w). These results indicated strongly the potentiality of enokitake cultural waste as raw materials for shiitake cultivating substrates.