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agar
old hand

Registered: 11/21/04
Posts: 9,056
Loc: Somewhere Else

The good stuff

#4371250 - 07/05/05 02:22 AM (18 years, 9 months ago)

Generally, prefabricated mushroom substrate mainly consists of two principle nutritional components, lignocellulose and microbial biomass (De Groot et al.,1998b; Whiteford et al., 2000).

Lignocellulose consists of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose in a 3:3:1 ratio (Whiteford et al., 2000). Mycelium cannot convert carbon to nitrogen. Therefor a source of compatible nitrogen must be in the substrate.

Highly nutritional substrate generally support slower and finer texture spawn growth. In less nutritional substrate, spawn growth is more rapid and brighter white with more rhizomorphs, suggesting the spawn is seeking nutrients.

mycelium -- the filamentous vegetative portion of a fungus, specifically excluding the fruiting structure or reproductive phase of the life cycle. In some cases mycelial strands may join to form thick strands called rhizomorphs.

Rhizomorph A dense mass of mycilia hyphae forming a root-like macroscopic structure that functions in searching for and trans-location of moisture, and nutrients.

A sponge provides an excellent example for understanding what a good mushroom substrate consistency should be like. A sponge is a fibrous mass containing a large network of open pores. Imagine the fabric of a sponge as nutrients, and it?s open pore spaces holding moisture, and air. The open pores provide a passage for fresh oxygen-carrying air to enter and gases to exit.

In quantitative terms, a partially wrung-out sponge represents a substrate with a moisture content in the range of about 65 to 70 percent by weight (i.e. wet weight). That is the moisture range mycelium prefer, and thrive in. The pores of a completely water saturated sponge, on the other hand, are filled with water so gases cannot easily pass through.

A completely water saturated sponge is almost anaerobic (without oxygen). Beneficial microbes thrive in aerobic conditions. Bacterial blooms that are not beneficial to mycelium often thrive in anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic conditions with minimal respiration is often referred to as fermentation.

If a substrate ferments, mycelium within it usually dies from a combination of factors occurring within the substrate. Alcohol is deadly to mycelia. Fermentation often turns sugars within a substrate to alcohol (ethanol).

Substrate temperatures during spawn run is another critical factor, and should be maintained in the range of 74 to 76F. However, because substrate nutrients, composition, and consistency vary so widely amongst cultivators, various heat related problems often occur.

If a substrate is not properly conditioned, mesophilic microbes (A group of bacteria that grow and thrive in a moderate temperature range between 68 F (20 C) and 113 F (45 C). most often become active feeding on richer nutrients within a substrate.

Substrate temperatures above the compost conditioning range and anaerobic conditions may result in readily available carbohydrates and a lower pH in a substrate. This combination generally favors the growth of Trichoderma (green mold).

As spawn begin colonizing a substrate, hypha contact each other, then fuse together (anastomose), and metabolic activity increases. More CO2, water vapor, other gases, and heat is produced. Mycelium is heat sensitive and its fruiting mechanism can be easily damaged at higher than optimal temperatures.

When excess heat reaches the surface of the substrate, it should be removed by evaporative cooling and convection. Cooler air moving across the surface of the substrate removes the heat from the substrate.

Evaporative cooling is the removal of heat when liquid turns to gas, and occurs when dry air moves across the surface substrate moisture is lost and heat removed with it. Too much evaporative cooling is detrimental, since substrate will tend to dry out too much.

A high quality mushroom substrate should have a physical composition that is high in nutritious fiber (creating open air spaces), not be compacted (so - open air spaces remain open), have a moisture content in the 65 to 70% range (mycelium thrive in), but not completely saturated with moisture, which causes anaerobic conditions, and during spawn runs - the temperatures should be carefully controlled, so the substrate does not overheat.

Fruit bodies obtain 54-83% of their water from the substrate and 17-46% from the casing layer (Kalberer, 1985). Consequently, optimal casing should be applied to a fully colonized substrate, then carefully watered during the fruiting cycles.

agar will quit with the rambling on ----->now.

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Edited by agar (07/05/05 02:52 AM)

Extras:

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