Recycled substrate in specialty mushroom production.

Wood Loving Mushrooms -- Wood loving mushrooms are also known as saprophytic fungi. With the aid of enzymes, which they release externally, saprophytic fungi degrade many types of dead organic matter, including wood.

Wood -- Wood is an organic material found as the primary content of the stems of woody plants, especially trees, but also shrubs. Stems that grow outward year after year characterize these perennial plants. Dry wood is composed of fibers of cellulose and hemicellulose held together by lignin.

[FIGURE 4 OMITTED]

Cellulose -- A complex carbohydrate present in the cell walls of plants. It is the chief constituent of the cell walls of all plants. All plants contain tissue that, when properly processed, will yield cellulose. Cotton in its raw state contains about 91 percent and is the purest form of natural cellulose. Other sources include softwoods and hardwoods (57 % to 65%).

Hemicellulose -- A carbohydrate which in addition to cellulose and lignin is the most important component of timber.

Lignin -- The substance in trees that holds cellulose fibers together. It is fairly common in plant materials especially those which are stiff or woody in nature. It is difficult for bacteria to decompose lignin while fungi can decompose it much easier.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The following individuals are recognized for their contributions to this research: Dr. Cathy Cripps (Department of Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology, Mycology Lab, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT), Dr. Don Mathre (Department of Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology, Mycology Lab, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT), Wendy Garrett Babcock for her continued support of all mycological endeavors and Craig Belanger for his hard work and dedication. This research was privately funded in conjunction with a Montana Board of Research and Commercialization Technology Grant through the Department of Commerce.

REFERENCES

Chang, S. T. & P.G. Miles, 1989. Edible Mushrooms and their Cultivation. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL p. 332.

Leatham, G.F., 1985. Extracellular enzymes produced by the cultivated mushroom, Lentinus edodes, during degradation of lignocellulosic medium. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 50(4). p. 859-867.

Oei, P., 2003. Mushroom Cultivation: Appropriate Technology for Mushroom Growers. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands, p. 303-304.

Przybylowicz, P. & J. Donoghue, 1988. Shiitake Growers Handbook. p. 129-130.

Stamets, P., 1993. Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms. Ten Speed Press, Berkley, CA. p. 431-433.

Van Griensven, L.J.L.D.(Editor), 1988. The Cultivation of Mushrooms. Darlington Mushroom Laboratories Ltd, Rustington, Sussex, England & Somycel S.A., Langeais, France. p. 29-35.

Zhanxi, L. & L. Zhanhua, 2001. Juncao Technology. China Agricultural Scientech Press, Haidian District, Beijing, People's Republic of China. p. 10-11.

Glen Babcock

Garden City Fungi

PO Box 1591

Missoula, MT 59806

glen@gardencityfungi.com

Presented at Penn State's 49th Mushroom Industry Conference, June 2007

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Figure 1: Analysis of Substrate Materials Row 1: New Sawdust, no supplement, uncooked Row 2: New Sawdust, w/ 20% supplement, uncooked Row 3: Recycled sawdust, no supplement, uncooked Row 4: Recycled mix: 60% new sawdust, 40% old sawdust, w/ 20% supplement, uncooked

DM DM% %N %NDF %ADF %LG %HM %ASH %CEL 1. 92.63 25.96 0.299 101.48 80.12 17.31 21.36 0.94 61.87 2. 90.56 26.45 0.927 82.90 62.49 14.17 20.41 0.84 47.48 3. 92.71 52.71 2.297 51.78 37.36 6.50 14.42 6.53 24.33 4. 93.41 31.17 1.763 56.03 39.33 7.21 16.70 4.96 27.16 DM = dry matter DM% = total dry matter % %N = % nitrogen %NDF = non detergent fiber %ADF = acid detergent fiber %LG = % lignin %HM = % hemicellulose %ASH = % insoluble ash %CEL = % cellulose