Source: UNIV OF HAWAII submitted to
GROWING TROPICAL, EDIBLE MUSHROOMS ON WASTE WOOD PRODUCTS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
MCINTIRE-STENNIS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0194051
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
HAW00811-M
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 1, 2002
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2005
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Miyasaka, S. C.
Recipient Organization
UNIV OF HAWAII
3190 MAILE WAY
HONOLULU,HI 96822
Performing Department
TROPICAL PLANT & SOIL SCIENCE
Non Technical Summary
There is a need to develop diversified agriculture in Hawaii. Commercial forests are a promising alternative land use; however, there is a long lag period before income is generated. This project seeks to improve the profitability and sustainability of tree farms by providing a supplemental source of income through the growing of mushrooms on wood chips, sawdust, or other waste wood products.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
20%
Applied
80%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1250650110220%
1254020110220%
6010650110220%
6014020110220%
7014020110220%
Knowledge Area
125 - Agroforestry; 701 - Nutrient Composition of Food; 601 - Economics of Agricultural Production and Farm Management;

Subject Of Investigation
0650 - Wood and wood products; 4020 - Fungi;

Field Of Science
1102 - Mycology;
Goals / Objectives
The overall objectives of this project are to utilize wood and other forest products, and to obtain the fullest and most effective use of forest resources. Specific objectives are as follows: 1) to evaluate various waste wood products as fruiting substrates for growing oyster mushrooms; 2) to determine the economic feasibility of growing oyster mushrooms; 3) to conduct preliminary studies on nutritional composition and possible toxicity problems of oyster mushrooms grown on various wood species; and 4) to isolate other tropical strains of edible mushrooms and conduct preliminary studies on their suitability for commercial production.
Project Methods
1) Fruiting substrates for oyster mushrooms. We will isolate, culture and multiply local strains of the oyster mushroom, Pleurotus cystidiosus. Existing commercial procedures will be used to grow these mushrooms. We will test fruiting substrates composed of wood chips and sawdust from the following fast-growing hardwood species: a) guava (Psidium guajava); b) ironwood (Casuarina equisetifolia); c) albizia (Paraserianthes falcataria); and d) eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis). An existing walk-in chamber with temperature controls will be used as a growing room for the mushrooms. A humidifier will maintain humidity at greater than 95%. Clean, insect-free conditions will be maintained in this chamber using a HEPA filter unit and insect traps. Spawn of the oyster mushroom will be inoculated into sterilized media containing wood chips and sawdust. Each fruiting substrate will be replicated four times and placed into the chamber maintained at the optimum temperature. Duration to harvest, number of harvests, and fresh weights of mushrooms will be measured in the various woody substrates. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Multiple comparisons with the Best will be used to statistically analyze the data to determine the optimum fruiting substrate. 2) Economic feasibility of growing oyster mushrooms. The most efficient and relevant production system will be researched with the cost of each input recorded on a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet will then be modified to estimate revenues and costs based on a number of marketable production scenarios and time frames, and on prevailing and historical prices for similar mushrooms in the Honolulu market. For the entire length of the project all costs will be monitored, including the labor time projected to be used in a commercial operation. Once the mushrooms are harvested all costs and revenues will then be used to update and finalize a budget spreadsheet for a mushroom farm in Hawaii. 3) Determine nutritional composition and possible toxicity of oyster mushrooms. Proximate composition (dry matter, moisture, nitrogen, lipid and ash) and mineral analysis (including heavy metals) of oyster mushrooms will be determined by the University of Hawaii's Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center. 4) Commercial suitability of other mushroom species. Tropical strains of morels and chicken of the woods will be isolated and various agar media will be evaluated (potato dextrose agar or malt extract agar) as a culture media. Preliminary trials will be conducted on optimum media for production of spawn and fruiting bodies. If a particular species of mushroom appears promising for commercial production, then another grant proposal will be submitted for further study.

Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/05

Outputs
The mushroom industry is one of substantial value; however, there are very few producers of edible mushrooms in Hawaii. Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.) in particular, are valuable mushrooms with good marketability and are relatively easy to grow. Five non-native, aggressively growing trees, albizia (Falcataria moluccana), ironwood (Casuarina equisetifolia), rose gum (Eucalyptus grandis), strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum), and gunpowder tree (Trema orientalis) were evaluated for suitability as substrate for outdoor cultivation of the oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, in Hawaii. An existing shade house was modified for mushroom production and proved to be an adequate fruiting site. Nitrogen-fixing trees (C. equisetifolia, T. orientalis, and F. moluccana) supported greater yield (275.5, 272.4 and 268.8 g/bag, respectively), biological efficiency (70.1, 78.5, and 74.0%, respectively), and flush number (3.0, 3.2, and 3.5) than non-fixers. P. cattleianum supported significantly lower yield (190.5 g/bag) and biological efficiency (44.2%). Mean crop period was 51 days and was not affected by wood substrate. Similarly, substrate did not have a significant impact on concentration of nutrients or moisture in fruit bodies. Taste preferences were noted in mushrooms grown on different substrates; those grown on C. equisetifolia were most flavorful and preferred in one taste test. These results demonstrated that wood from several fast-growing, non-native tree species could be used as a fruiting substrate for mushroom production. Preliminary economic analysis indicated that small-scale, outdoor oyster mushroom production is economically feasible in Hawaii. In addition, cultures of Laetiporus sulfureus (chicken of the woods) were collected in the field; one grew on Acacia koa (koa), and the other grew on Eucalyptus spp. The culture from koa grew much slower than the culture from eucalyptus, and samples of each were sent to a lab in Wisconsin for DNA profiles. Both cultures of chicken of the woods were multiplied as spawn, and then inoculated on autoclaved wood samples; however, numerous samples were lost due to contamination. Not surprisingly, it was found that the culture from koa grew more rapidly on koa media and the culture from eucalyptus grew better on eucalyptus media. Primordia formation of cultures from koa could be induced on koa media using either a 10 minute treatment at 0 C or a 12 hour treatment at 4 C; unfortunately, no substantial growth of mushroom fruiting bodies occurred after 2 months. Apparently, the two cultures of chicken of the woods collected were not suitable for commercial mushroom production.

Impacts
A commercial mushroom producer in Hawaii is exploring the option of using locally available wood species as a source of chips rather than using chips from the mainland United States, lowering production costs and increasing profitability. The expected impact of this project would be to provide information on the most suitable tree species for mushroom production.

Publications

  • Tisdale, T.E., Miyasaka, S.C. and Hemmes, D.E. 2005. Cultivation of the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) on wood substrates in Hawaii. World J Microbiol. Biotech. (in press).


Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
Wood of five non-native, fast-growing tree species common in Hawaii have been successfully identified as suitable and inexpensive substrate material for oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) production. These trees include eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis), ironwood (Casuarina equisetifolia), albizia(Falcataria moluccana), strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum), and gunpowder tree (Trema orientalis). Using outdoor cultivation, mushrooms were grown in a pre-existing shade house in Waiakea, Hawaii, which had been inexpensively modified for mushroom production. Using wood substrates, an average of 200 to 275 grams of fresh mushrooms were produced from approximately 3 liters of wood chip substrate, resulting in mean biological efficiency as high as 80%. Cultivation results showed that, although all woods did support mushroom growth, wood of the three N-fixing trees (C. equisetifolia, F. moluccana, and T. orientalis) supported higher yields than the non-fixers in terms of fresh weight of mushrooms harvested, biological efficiency, and flush number. Also, wood of the fruit tree (P. cattleianum), supported significantly lower yields. Wood substrate did not affect crop period or the nutrient concentration of fruit bodies. Taste tests revealed that substrate did influence the flavor, but not aroma, of cooked mushrooms and those grown on ironwood were deemed most flavorful and preferred.

Impacts
A commercial mushroom producer in Hawaii is importing wood chips from the mainland United States. Expected impact of this project would be for this company (and others) to explore the option of using locally available wood species as a source of chips, lowering production costs and increasing profitability.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period


Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03

Outputs
Preliminary tests demonstrated that the local, edible mushrooms (Pleurotus sp. and Auricularia polytricha) can be produced on wood-based substrate composed of wood chips and wheat bran. Wood chips from five tree species that are commonly found in Hawaii appear to be suitable substrate material. These trees include Eucalyptus grandis (eucalyptus), Casuarina equisetifolia (common ironwood), Paraserianthes falcataria (albizia), Trema orientalis (gunpowder tree), and Psidium cattleianum (strawberry guava). Tropical oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus sp.) were successfully cultivated on eucalyptus, ironwood, and albizia. Wood ear mushrooms (Auricularia polytricha) successfully grew on gunpowder, strawberry guava, and albizia. In a greenhouse, Pleurotus sp. averaged 64 days from date of inoculation to date of final harvest, while A. polytricha averaged 70 days. For all wood types, preliminary experiments showed approximate yields of 0.25 kilograms of fresh mushrooms per 3.5 kilograms of substrate. Both mushroom varieties were successfully induced to fruit with added moisture at environmental temperatures of Hilo, Hawaii, eliminating input costs for temperature control. Further trials will determine economic feasibility and examine potential toxicity problems of mushrooms grown on eucalyptus wood.

Impacts
Local, edible mushroom production has great economic potential, given the growing popularity of the gourmet market for large hotels, cruise ships, and restaurants. Preliminary trials have shown that production of oyster and wood ear mushrooms, using local woody materials for substrate, is biologically feasible in Hawaii. If economically feasible, locally grown mushrooms could fill a niche market in Hawaii.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period