Hypholoma capnoides

A true saprophyte, H. capnoides is an aggressive conifer stump decomposer. One precaution is in order. Hypholoma capnoides is not a mushroom for those unskilled in mushroom identification. Several poisonous mushrooms resemble this mushroom and inhabit the same ecological niche. Cultivators should Be forewarned that several mushroom species, inoculated or not, can inhabit a single stump or log. This danger is entirely avoided by honing identification skills, or by growing H. capnoides indoors on sterilized sawdust/chips.

Mycelial Characteristics: Producing a white, silky, rhizomorphic mycelium, usually exquisitely formed, and growing out in distinct zonations. Mycelium becomes overlain with yellow tones in age but the rusty brown colorations that are typical of Hypholoma sublateritium.

Microscppic Features: This mushroom produces purple/brown spores.

Suggested Agar Culture Media: Malt Extract Agar (MEA), Potato Dextrose Yeast Agar (PDYA), Dog Food Agar (DFA), or Oatmeal Yeast Agar (OMYA).

Spawn Media: Grain spawn (rye, wheat, sorghum) for the first two generations. Sterilized sawdust is best for the third generation. The sawdust can be fruited of used as spawn for outdoor inoculations.

Substrates for Fruiting: Unsupplemented alder, oak, or conifer (Douglas Fir) sawdust, chips, logs, or stumps.

Yield Potentials: .10-.25 lbs. of mushrooms per 5 lbs. sawdust. Yields should substantially improve with strain development and further experimentation.

---Growth Parameters---

Spawn Run:

• Incubation Temperature: 70-75* F (21-24* C)
• Relative Humidity: 95-100%
• Duration: 20-28 days (+20 day resting period)
• CO2: >10,000 ppm
• Fresh Air Exchanges: 0-1 per hour.
• Light Requirements: n/a

Primordia Formation:

• Initiation Temperature: 45-55* F (7-13* C)
• Relative Humidity: 98-100%
• Duration: 10-14 days
• CO2: 1000-2000 ppm.
• Fresh Air Exchanges: 1-2 per hour.
• Light Requirements: 200-500 lux.

Fruitbody Development:

• Temperature: 50-60* F (10-16* C)
• Relative Humidity: 90-95%
• Duration: 10-14 days
• CO2: 1000-5000 ppm
• Fresh Air Exchanges: 1-2 per hour or as required.
• Light Requirements: 200-500 lux.

Cropping Cycle:

• 2 crops, 4 weeks apart.

Comments: High yielding stains of Hypholoma capnoides for indoor cultivation have not yet been developed. At present, this mushroom is better grown outdoors than indoors. Hypholoma capnoides is one of the few gourmet mushrooms adaptive to cultivation on oculation techniques, rhizomorphs soon form. Lager diameter stumps and logs have been known to produce crops every season for more than a decade. Agreforesters should carefully consider the judicious use of this fungus in designing polyculture models.

Indoor strategies closely mimic the methods used for Enokitake: stems elongate in response to elevated carbon dioxide levels and cap development is influenced both by light and carbon dioxide.