> I am also wondering if this oyster is more pitch tolerant ?
I am quite sure that it is more pitch tolerant, since it grew on softwood.
Are you sure that it is Pleurotus ostreatus ? I only have heard that Pleurotus pulmonarius is found on firs.
Anyway, I think it would be an interesting strain to cultivate cause oysters that grow on firs are usually less selective to the substrate ( or at least that is what I have heard ).
Have you got some pics of the mushroom ? Also take some prints ...

Found this paper that might be interesting for you:
"Conversion of conifer wastes into edible and medicinal mushrooms."

Here is an excerpt:

Quote:

Griofola frondosa, Hericium erinaceus, and Pleurotus ostreatus,
were selected for small-scale treatment of conifer chips in Pyrex storage dishes.
The fungi did not grow or grew poorly on surfaces of untreated chips,
even though these versatile fungi are fast colonizers that can degrade a wide variety of lignin in various lignocellulosic substrates.
Martinez-Inigo et al. (1 999) found that Scots pine extractives were
toxic to various wood-inhabiting fungi. Resin acids accounted for 88 percent of
total extractives. Fungal growth was enhanced by removing the extractives.
Similarly, certain resin acids in pine cone extractives were found to be toxic
to wood-inhabiting fungi (mold, sapstain, and wood-rotting fungi) (Micales
et al. 1994).

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