Growth conditions of mycelium medicinal mushroom Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegl. in the substrate colonization phase

Apart from the status of nutrients within the substrate, the level of inoculum and virulence, major factors relevant for the infection occurrence are temperature and pH necessary for wood colonization process. The impact of these factors on the growth and production of mycelial mass of Lentinus edodes was investigated under laboratory conditions. The aim of the investigation was to determine optimal conditions for the development of the fungus L. edodes for the purpose of their comparison with the conditions where other rival microorganisms develop. The results showed that the optimal temperature for the development of L. edodes was 23°C, whereas the highest weight of the mycelial dry mass was formed at the substrate pH values between 3.00 and 3.63, which means that this fungus can easily perform spontaneous infection.