GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

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GROWTH PARAMETERS
Available Strains: Strains from the wild, unlike
those of Pleurotus, rarely produce under
artificial conditions. Of the strains I have tested
which have been obtained from culture libraries,
deposited there by taxonomically
schooled, non-cultivator mycologists, 90% of
them do not fruit well on sterilized wood-based
substrates. Therefore, screening and development
of strains is necessary before commercial
cultivation is feasible. Strains which produce
fruitbody initials in 30 days are considered
very fast. Most strains require 60-120 days of
incubation before primordia formation begins.
Mycelial Characteristics: White, longitudinally
linear, eventually thickly cottony on enriched agar
media, non-rhizomorphic. The mycelium grows
out unevenly, not forming the circular colonies
typical of most mushrooms. Regions of the mycelium
surge while other regions abate in their rate
of growth. This pattern of growth seems characteristic
of the species, as I have seen it in the
majority of the 20 strains ofG.fivndosathatl have
in my culture library. Often times, the mycelium
develops light tawny brown tones along the outside
peripheral edges in aging. At maturity, the
dense mycelial mat can be peeled directly off the
agar media. Once on sawdust, many strains have
mycelia which develop strong yellowish to
orangish brown mottled zones, exuding a yellowish orange metabolite. Sawdust spawn, when young, is
white. As the spawn matures, rust colors prevail.
Fragrance Signature: Richly fungoid and uniquely farinaceous, sometimes sweet. To me, rye grain
spawn has a fragrance reminiscent of day-old fried corn tortillas.
When mushrooms begin to rot, a
strong fish-like odor develops.
Natural Method of Cultivation: The inoculation of hardwood stumps or buried logs is recommended.
Given the size of the fruitbody, its gourmet and medicinal properties, this mushroom
may well become the premier species for recycling stumps in hardwood forests. The occurrence
of this mushroom on pines,
Douglas fir, and larch is curious, confirming that some strains exist in
nature that could help recycle the millions of stumps dotting the timberlands of North America.
As forests decline from acid rain, future-oriented foresters would be wise to Figure 334. Mycologist
Bill Chapman with a huge
Grifola frondosa, known to Americans as Hen-ofthe-Woods
and to Japanese as Maitake. This
specimen was 5 feet in circumference and estimated
to weigh more than
explore strategies
whereby the dead trees could be inoculated and saprophytized by Maitake and similar immuno-pOtefl-
40 lbs. Growing from a stately
oak tree in a colonial graveyard in upstate New
York, the location of this mushroom patch is a
closely guarded secret. This patch consistently produces
specimens of such magnitude and
occasionally generates 100 lb. clusters.
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