Cultivation Modes SHELF CULTIVATION OF OYSTER MUSHROOM With Emphasis on Substrate Fermentation

Shelf cultivation of oyster mushrooms is a unique Korean production method. This method was adapted by Korean scientists in the early 1980’s from button mushroom (Agaricus bisporous) growing on shelves. Button mushroom cultivation can be summarized as follows: Phase I (outdoor fermentation), Phase II (pasteurization and conditioning), Phase III (spawning and incubation), fruiting, harvesting and emptying. The unique characteristics of shelf cultivation of oyster mushroom in Korea include the fact that the substrate is fermented in three steps (pre-fermentation, pasteurization, and post-fermentation) rather than on the shelf itself. Unlike the pasteurization process that lasts for 2-6 hours in most countries, shelf cultivation requires the substrate materials to be pre-fermented outdoors for 2-3 days, then pasteurized at 60-65 ℃ for 8-10 hours, and finally post-fermented at 45-55 ℃ for 3-4 days. This process requires considerable time and generates significant expenses. In Korea, the main methods of oyster mushroom growing are shelf cultivation, bag cultivation and bottle cultivation. Korean oyster mushroom growers ferment the substrate materials in shelf cultivation while they sterilize substrate materials in the cases of bag and bottle cultivation. Button mushroom (A. bisporus) is a secondary decomposer requiring the previous degradation of substrates by bacteria or other fungi in order to be able to absorb nutrients from the substrate. On the other hand, oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.) are primary decomposers, so they have ability to break down and absorb the components of substrate materials that have no