FARMFUNGI
FARMFUNGI
Production of edible fungi in the farm forest
DOWNLOAD 2009 REPORT AS PDF (pdf 405Kb)
DOWNLOAD 2009 REPORT IN IRISH (pdf 391Kb)
PROJECT TEAM
Dr Tom Harrington, University of Limerick*
John O'Connell, Kilcornan, Co Limerick
Maria Cullen, University of Limerick
* Email: thomas.harrington@ul.ie
COMPLETION DATE: December 2010
BACKGROUND
Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) and shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) are produced on a commercial scale in a number of countries. Production by traditional methods (i.e. on logs) has the potential to be integrated into farm forest enterprises, and to contribute to the financial returns from these enterprises. This is because capitalization costs are low and there is an availability of raw material for inoculation from thinnings With careful management, inoculated logs may continue to produce crops for up to six years after treatment, further reducing costs. The rationale behind this project is to assess the feasibility of this production method in a farm forest scenario in Ireland.
OBJECTIVES
- To determine whether inoculation of cut stumps and sawn logs and incubation in the forest will yield marketable quantities of oyster mushrooms and shiitake.
- To determine the influence of stump size and type, log type, size, and moisture content on mushroom yield.
- To develop a protocol for cultivation of mushrooms on logs derived from thinnings that will be applicable in farm forest enterprises.
- To determine whether a plantation of T. aestivum-inoculated host trees that will yield commercially viable quantities of truffles can be established on a previously unforested site in Ireland.
PROGRESS
Monitoring of the 2008 trials
Oyster mushroom/shiitake trials
Moisture contents of inoculated logs: Monitoring of the 2008 trials in Askeaton, Blossomhill and Springfield continued. Moisture contents of the logs declined somewhat in the early part of 2009 at all sites. A new irrigation regime installed at Blossomhill and Springfield in March 2009 arrested and reversed this decline (the abnormally wet summer of 2009 also helped). It was not possible to install a similar regime in the Askeaton site; this site will act as a benchmark for assessing the impact of irrigation.
Production of oyster and shiitake mushrooms
Oyster fruit bodies began appearing as early as January 2009 on sycamore stumps. Almost 50% of sycamore stumps have produced on average, 2.3 fruit bodies per stump, over the period January-August 2009. Other stump types have produced very little yet.
Logs had not produced as much as stumps up to September 2009. The main expected production period for logs would be autumn: late August -December. Expected yield would be about 2-3 kg per log. Production on logs started in September as expected, and although results have not been collated yet, production appeared to have been better than on stumps but not as good as expected. The shiitake logs have produced very little, even though induced by dipping in water. Oyster fruit bodies have appeared sporadically on all timber types, and while it is not statistically possible to say yet which timber type is most productive, it appears that sycamore is the most, and ash the least productive. The severe cold snap that started in mid-December ended all fruiting in 2009. It is expected that production on these logs will continue into 2010.
The 2009 trials
A further set of trials was set up in spring 2009. The aims of these trials were to investigate variables such as different strains of Pleurotus and shiitake, the use of 'home-grown' inoculum, suitability of conifer timber, influence of different inoculation rates, and continuous (i.e. year-round) inoculation. Some of the logs inoculated with a native strain of Pleurotus ostreatus have already produced some fruit bodies, but the main production period will be next autumn. The same irrigation regime has been applied for these and monitoring of moisture content is continuing.
The truffle orchard trial
The oak and hazel truffle orchards are being maintained manually weed-free and progress of the trees is being monitored. It is likely that excavation of the entire roots system of selected whole plants will have to be carried out in spring 2010.
ACTIVITIES PLANNED - Continuous monitoring of the weight and moisture content of the inoculated logs and fungal development on these logs.
- Monitoring environmental conditions in each plantation.
- Analysis of how variables (such as log type, log diameter, log moisture content) influence the yield of shiitake and oyster mushrooms.
- Analysis on the influence of stump size, type and location on yields of oyster mushrooms.
- Final analysis of data and economic evaluation of in-forest fungal inoculation/production.
OUTPUTS
An interim report on the FARMFUNGI project, entitled Fungi in farm forests, was delivered by Tom Harrington, at the Forest Fungi in Ireland Seminar at Avondale House, Co Wicklow on 28 August 2009.
2008 report
download 2008 report as pdf (pdf 83Kb)
PROJECT TEAM
Dr Tom Harrington, University of Limerick*
Maria Cullen, University of Limerick
John O'Connell, Private forest owner
* Email: thomas.harrington@ul.ie
COMPLETION DATE: December 2010
BACKGROUND
Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) and shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) are produced on a commercial scale in a number of countries. Production by traditional methods (i.e. on logs) has the potential to be integrated into farm forest enterprises, and to contribute to the financial returns from these enterprises. This is because capitalisation costs are low and there is an availability of raw material for inoculation from thinnings. With careful management, logs may continue to produce crops for up to six years after inoculation, further reducing costs. The rationale behind this project is to assess the feasibility of this production method in a farm forest scenario in Ireland.
OBJECTIVES - To determine whether inoculation of cut stumps and sawn logs and incubation in the forest will yield marketable quantities of oyster mushrooms and shiitake.
- To determine the influence of stump size and type, log type, size, and moisture content on mushroom yield.
- To develop a protocol for cultivation of mushrooms on logs derived from thinnings that will be applicable in farm forest enterprises.
- To determine whether a plantation of Tuber aestivum-inoculated host trees that will yield commercially viable quantities of truffles can be established on a previously unforested site in Ireland.
PROGRESS
A field trial, replicated in three different farm forests in Co Limerick, was set up in spring 2008 to assess production of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) and shiitake (Lentinula edodes) on logs cut from forest thinnings. On each farm the trial comprised 720 logs (500 logs are considered the minimum that would give a commercial return). The trial tested one strain each of oyster mushroom and shiitake on 1 m logs of variable diameter of a range of hardwood timber types. Ash, sycamore and beech are being assessed at all three farms, oak at two farms and alder at one farm. Inoculation of cut stumps of ash, sycamore and beech is being carried out at one farm.
Inoculated logs were arranged in four standing stacks, one stack for each timber type. There were 45 logs in each stack, comprising four diameter classes.
The logs are now being monitored on a monthly basis for moisture content, mycelium development, production of fruiting bodies, and contaminant fungi. Continuous environmental monitoring is also being carried out (air and soil temperatures, rainfall).
Moisture content remained between 25-35% just prior to (April) and after inoculation, which should have ensured adequate moisture for the colonization of logs.
The contaminant fungus Trichoderma viride spread extensively on most logs (except ash) in all the sites after inoculation. This was successfully countered by restacking and the onset of drier weather.
Preliminary internal inspection of a number of logs indicated that the inoculae of oyster and shiitake are colonizing the timber. Fruiting bodies have appeared on a number of the smaller diameter beech logs and also on a number of stumps, a hopeful sign for the success of the inoculation.
Soil cores were collected from the oak and hazel truffle orchard and attempts were made to assess the density of Tuber mycorrhizae on roots of inoculated oak and hazel samplings. Tuber mycorrhizae appear to be present on roots of both species.
ACTIVITIES PLANNED - Continuous monitoring of the weight and moisture content of the inoculated logs and fungal development on these logs.
- Monitoring environmental conditions in each plantation.
- Establishment of a second trial in spring 2009 to investigate variables such as different strains of oyster and shiitake mushrooms, the use of home-grown inoculum, suitability of conifer timber, and continuous (i.e. year-round) inoculation.
- Analysis of how variables (such as log type, log diameter, log moisture content) influence the yield of shiitake and oyster mushrooms.
- Analysis on the influence of stump size, type and location on yields of oyster mushrooms.
OUTPUTS
A short piece on the project was included in the Ear to the Ground television programme broadcast by RTÉ on 6 November 2008.