Effect of Culture Medium Components on Cultivation of Flammulina velutipes and Characteristics of Fruit Body

The effects of culture composition on growth and quality of Flammulina velutipes, an edible mushroom (Enokitake in Japanese) were investigated using sawdust-based medium and corn cob-based medium. The changes in pH during cultivation of the mushroom were similar in both media. An increase of soluble proteins in cultures was recorded; however it was larger in corn cob-based medium than in sawdust-based medium. Among cellulolytic enzymes such as cellulase and xylanase, activity determined in corn cob-based medium was much larger than in sawdust-based medium. In addition, the yield of fruit bodies increased by using the corn cob-based medium, and the compositions in fruit bodies cultured by each medium showed some differences. From these results, it is suggested that components of corn cob and related enzymes might be concerned in the increase of yield of fruit bodies, and that components in the fruit bodies might be influenced by culture medium.