GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

264 GROWTH PARAMETERS
four spored. Hyphal system monomitic. Pleurocystidia absent. Clamp connections and
cheilocystidia present.
Available Strains: Many strains are available and vary considerably in their duration to fruiting, the
formation of the fruitbodies as well as their adaptability to different wood types. ATCC #58742,
ATCC #26087 and Mon #465 are all strains which fruit in 10-14 weeks after inoculation onto supplemented
sawdust. I have developed a strain, designated Stamets CS-2, which originally came from
China and produces in as quickly as 14 days from inoculation onto
supplemented alder sawdust! I
have found, however, that by forestalling pnimordia formation until 25-30 days after inoculation, the
mycelium achieves greater tenacity, giving rise to better quality fruitbodies. This same strain regularly
produces mushrooms 30-40 days after inoculation onto supplemented oak sawdust. Using my
methods in combination with this fast-fruiting strain, the Shiitake fruiting cycle is completed in 90
days from the date of inoculation, yielding 4-5 flushes and averaging 2 lbs. of mushrooms per block.
The first flush arises from blocks which are totally white in color. Volunteer fruitings on MEA media,
on grain, and on sawdust in 3 weeks are characteristic of this strain.
Mycelial Characteristics: Mushroom mycelium white at first, becoming longitudinally linear and
cottony-aerial in age, rarely, if ever truly rhizomorphic. In age, or in response to damage, the mycehum
becomes dark brown. Some strains develop hyphal
cottony ball-like
structures—which may or may not develop into primordia. Many mycologists classify this species as
Figure 238. Shiitake mushrooms growing on
oak logs.
Figure
ake growing on
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