EFFECTS OF USING ARMILLARIA SPECIES CULTURAL WASTE AS A SUBSTRATE IN THE BOTTLE CULTIVATION OF HIRATAKE MUSHROOMS, PLEUROTUS-OSTREATUS

The capabilities of Armillaria spp. cultural waste, occurring in bottle cultivation with birch (Betula ermani Cham.) wood and rice bran as substrates culture media were examined with two strains of Pleurotus ostreatus (jacq.: Fr.) Kummer. The fungi were incubated in 850 mi cultivation bottle at 22 degrees C and 70% relative humidity in the dark until complete colonization of the mycelia. Then, the bottles were placed in a 16 degrees C and 85% humidity environment under intermittent illumination with 350 ix alternated with the dark every 12 hours for fruiting. These cultivation conditions were the same as those of Armillaria spp. The results obtained were as follows: (1) When the cultural waste, whose moisture content was adjusted to 65% with tap water, was used as the culture medium for P. ostreatus, the cultivation days and the yields of fruiting bodies per bottle were 45 and 34.5 g, respectively. (2) The use of the cultural waste as a substitute for birch or spruce (Picea jezoensis Carr.) sawdust slowed down the mycelial growth rate, but promoted primordium formation after the treatment. It reduced the cultivation period of P. ostreatus from 14 to 19%. The days for cultivation using the cultural waste and wheat bran was 26-33. (3) For yields of fruiting bodies per bottle, one strain was 92-97 g and another was 91 g on the medium made of the cultural waste and wheat bran. The yields of the former were increased 14-50% and that of the latter were reduced to 11% compared to a control media made of birch or spruce, and wheat bran. (4) The quality of fruiting bodies was not affectted by using the medium made oi the cultural waste and wheat bran.