6 Wood Discoloration

242 9 Positive Effects of Wood-Inhabiting Microorganisms
Fig. 2.17a), and research on the biological and physical demands of the fungus
were done in the USA (e.g., Leatham 1982; Royse 1985) and in Europe (e.g.,
Zadraˇzil and Grabbe 1983; Rohrbach 1986; Müller and Schmidt 1990; Lelley
1991; Kalberer 1999). Basically, the procedure consists of four main steps as
shown in Fig. 9.2: pre-culture of a certain isolate, propagation of the mycelium
for inoculation by growth on sterile grains (spawn production), colonization
phase of the sterilized substrate in plastic bags, and fruiting phase on the
opened containers.
The reasons why the Japanese and Chinese in particular have been so successful
in Shii-take cultivation are not known. Generally, the cultivation of
so-called “alternative or exotic mushrooms” has got to have the right feel for
it. The Shii-take belongs to “demanding mushrooms” while the Oyster mushroom,
Pleurotus ostreatus, is easily satisfied through its fast growth ability on
several substrates such as lignocellulosic waste (Pettipher 1987) and is thus
lesser sensitiveness to contamination. In North America and Europe, particularly
in Italy and Hungary, frequently Pleurotus species such as P. ostreatus are
grown on chopped wheat straw, but also stem sections (Fig. 9.3) or chopped
waste is used by hobby breeders and commercially. The market price of this
lesser-tasting fungus in Germany amounts to e5–10/kg fresh weight. Further
fungi that are cultivated on lignocelluloses are e.g., Agrocybe aegerita,
Auricularia auricula-judae, Flammulina velutipes, Grifola frondosa, Hericium
erinaceus, Kuehneromyces mutabilis, andPholiota nameko (Miller 1998). Research
results and practical tips for mushroom culturing occur in the German
Fig.9.2. Main steps of Shii-take production: a Maintenance of a selected isolate on agar.
b Mycelial growth on grains for inoculation. c Substrate colonization in closed plastic bags.
d Fruiting phase after removal of plastic bag (from Schmidt 1990)
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