Michael Davis
Mushrooms are the umbrella-shaped fruiting bodies of fungi, which are neither plants nor animals. Fungi play a critical role in the world's decomposition, breaking down complex organic compounds and lignin, a key ingredient in woody matter. Without fungi, our forests would be piled high with woody debris. Fungi grow by sending out a small filamentous thread called a hypha, which branches out into a network known as mycelium. This network gathers nutrients and water from its environment and eventually forms tiny mushrooms called primordia, which then become fully formed mushrooms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Formation | Mushrooms are fungi that originate from tiny spores. They form in response to changes in humidity, temperature, and moisture. |
| Growth | Mushrooms grow from spores that land in the right environment and send out a filamentous thread called a hypha. The hypha branches out to form a network called mycelium, which gathers nutrients and water from its surroundings. |
| Initiation | Initiation is the link between mycelial growth and mushroom formation. It occurs when the substrate is fully colonized and shows signs of pinning. Lowering temperatures and increasing oxygen levels encourage mushroom formation. |
| Cultivation | Mushrooms are cultivated in sterile conditions in laboratories. Spawn, or mycelium from a known species, is mixed with a substrate, a food source for mushroom growth. The substrate is typically a mixture of straw, water, and poultry litter. |
| Harvesting | Mushrooms are harvested by hand and placed in boxes for shipping. They can produce four to five flushes from one growing cycle, which can last up to three weeks with constant harvesting. |
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What You'll Learn
- Fungi respond to environmental cues, like humidity, temperature, and moisture
- Mushrooms are formed from spores, which are like seeds
- Mycelium, a web-like mass, spreads and fuses to form mushrooms
- Substrate, a food source for mycelium, is key to mushroom growth
- Mushrooms are cultivated in sterile conditions in a laboratory
Fungi respond to environmental cues, like humidity, temperature, and moisture
Fungi respond to environmental cues, such as humidity, temperature, and moisture, to form mushrooms. Mushrooms are the conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting bodies of certain fungi, typically of the order Agaricales. Fungi growing outside take cues from their environment to begin forming mushrooms. Changes in humidity, temperature, and moisture are major determining factors for when mushrooms grow, and each species of mushroom has a particular preference. For example, in the temperate Northeastern US, most edible mushrooms fruit between spring and fall (May–October), depending on good rainfall. On the opposite coast in the Pacific Northwest, the mushroom season peaks between August and December, though Morels pop up in late spring and early summer after heavy rainfall.
The process of forming mushrooms begins with the growth of a web-like mass called mycelium, which spreads throughout the substrate. Mycelium allows the mushrooms to gather nutrients and water from the substrate. The growing rooms have carefully controlled temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels to promote growth. To initiate fruiting, lowering temperatures and increasing oxygen levels generally encourage mushroom formation. Initiation can be in the form of cold shocking, water shocking, or introducing more oxygen by cutting a hole in the bag. For example, shiitake mushrooms respond well to shocking by soaking the logs for 24 hours or refrigerating shiitake blocks for 12–24 hours.
The mycelium grows, gathering nutrients and water from its environment. When it encounters a compatible mycelium sprouted from another spore, it fuses and swaps nuclei, forming a dikaryotic mycelium. This secondary mycelium grows until it runs out of food, space, or there is another signal like heavy rainfall or a change in temperature to start fruiting. Mycelium condenses into the tiniest stage of mushrooms, called primordia or pins. With the right conditions, the primordia become fully formed mushrooms, completing their life cycle.
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Mushrooms are formed from spores, which are like seeds
The hypha branches out quickly, forming a dendritic network known as mycelium. This mycelium spreads throughout the substrate, which is the growing mix for mushroom production. Mycelium allows the mushrooms to gather nutrients and water from its environment. When it encounters another compatible mycelium, the two fuse and swap nuclei, forming a dikaryotic mycelium. This secondary mycelium continues to grow and spread until it runs out of food or space, or there is a signal like heavy rainfall or a change in temperature to start fruiting.
The mycelium then condenses into the tiniest stage of mushrooms, called primordia or pins. With the right conditions, the primordia become fully formed mushrooms, complete with basidia or asci where they form spores and start the process anew. In a laboratory setting, the spores are handled by lab personnel who inoculate sterile cereal grains with the spores and incubate them until they develop into a viable product. These grains become "spawn", which can then be sown like seeds.
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Mycelium, a web-like mass, spreads and fuses to form mushrooms
Mushrooms are fungi that originate from tiny spores. In the wild, mushrooms release their own spores, which fall to the ground or are carried by the wind. When one of these spores lands in the right environment, it will germinate and send out a small filamentous thread called a hypha. The hypha quickly begins branching, forming a dendritic network known as mycelium.
Mycelium, a web-like mass, spreads throughout the substrate, which acts as a growing medium for mushrooms. Mycelium allows the mushrooms to gather nutrients and water from the substrate. The mycelium continues to grow and fuse with other mycelium, forming a dikaryotic mycelium. This secondary mycelium continues to grow and spread until it runs out of food or space, or there is a signal such as heavy rainfall or a change in temperature to start fruiting.
Initiation is the link between mycelial growth and mushroom formation. This is when the substrate is fully colonized and may be showing signs of pinning. To initiate fruiting, lowering temperatures and increasing oxygen levels generally encourages mushroom formation. This can be done through methods such as cold shocking, water shocking, or introducing more oxygen by cutting a hole in the bag.
The mycelium then condenses into the tiny stage of mushrooms called primordia or pins. With the right conditions, these primordia develop into fully formed mushrooms, completing the life cycle and allowing the process to begin anew.
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Substrate, a food source for mycelium, is key to mushroom growth
Mushrooms are fungi that originate from tiny spores. In the wild, mushrooms release their spores, which fall to the ground or are carried by the wind. When one of these spores lands in a suitable environment, it germinates and sends out a small filamentous thread called a hypha. The fungi grow from the tip of the hypha, extending forward in response to outside stimuli. The hyphae quickly begin branching, forming a web-like mass called mycelium.
Mycelium is a key part of mushroom growth. It spreads throughout the substrate, allowing the mushrooms to get the nutrients from the substrate. The substrate is the growing mix for mushroom production. It is a food source for the mycelium, providing the mushroom spawn with the necessary nutrients, carbon, and nitrogen for growth.
There are two types of starting material generally used for mushroom substrate: synthetic compost and manure-based compost. Synthetic compost consists of wheat or rye straw, hay, crushed corn cobs, cottonseed meal, cocoa shells, and gypsum. Manure-based compost is made from stable bedding from horse stables or poultry litter. This process converts plant and animal products into a mixture of decayed organic matter that is necessary for growing mushrooms.
Creating a great substrate is a very important step in the mushroom-growing process. The substrate needs to be prepared by ensuring the moisture content is optimal and the substrate is clean of contaminants. Mixing substrates is sometimes done to achieve a high-nutrient and cost-effective food source for the mycelium. For example, mixing sawdust or wood pellets with wheat bran or soybean hulls.
Once the substrate is fully colonized by the mycelium, it may show signs of pinning, which is the tiny, initial stage of mushrooms. With the right conditions, these primordia become fully formed mushrooms.
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Mushrooms are cultivated in sterile conditions in a laboratory
Maintaining sterility in mushroom cultivation is challenging as contamination can arise from various sources, including mould spores in the air, cultivation tools, human hands, breath, clothes, and even the mushroom cultures or substrates themselves. Incomplete sterilisation or improper pasteurisation of the bulk substrate before inoculation can lead to the growth of competing organisms and dormant spores, which can outcompete the desired mushrooms. Therefore, it is crucial to sterilise the substrate or grain by subjecting it to high pressure and temperature for an extended period. Sterilisation involves heating the substrate to temperatures above 120°C, while pasteurisation involves heating it to between 65°C and 85°C, which reduces but may not eliminate microscopic competition.
To achieve successful mushroom cultivation, growers must also consider factors such as temperature, pH, light, humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2), moisture, and oxygen levels. For example, inadequate lighting conditions can lead to thin stems and small caps, while excessive light can cause the substrate to dry out, affecting mushroom development. Additionally, the choice of substrate, similar to soil selection for plants, is critical as different mushroom species prefer different substrates. Substrates must be moist and nutrient-rich, but this also creates favourable conditions for moulds and germs, emphasising the importance of sterilisation.
While achieving perfect sterility is nearly impossible, implementing rigorous sterile techniques, such as using clean tools, wearing gloves and masks, and maintaining an airtight grow room, can increase the chances of success. By understanding the factors influencing mushroom growth and taking preventive measures, cultivators can maximise the probability of obtaining high-quality yields.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms are the conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting bodies of certain fungi. They originate from tiny spores, which, in the wild, are released by the mushrooms and fall to the ground or are carried by the wind.
Spores are the natural seeds of mushrooms. They are so tiny that they cannot be handled by humans.
Mycelium is a web-like mass that spreads throughout the substrate, which is the growing mix for mushroom production. It allows the mushrooms to gather nutrients from the substrate. When two compatible mycelia fuse, they form a dikaryotic mycelium, which grows until it runs out of food, space, or there is a signal like heavy rainfall or a change in temperature to start fruiting.
Changes in humidity, temperature, and moisture are major factors in mushroom formation. Heavy rainfall is often a cue to go foraging for mushrooms.
Humans can cultivate mushrooms by creating the right substrate or growing mix, controlling temperature and humidity, and using spawn or tissue culture techniques to initiate mushroom growth.
