This is complete presentation about the Shiitake mushroom cultivation. Shiitake mushroom farming can be the most promising source of nutrients and income for the poor farmers who could not afford more money for huge commercial farming since shiitake farming can be done using local and easily available resources.

1. Prepared by:
Suraj Poudel
BSc. Agriculture
8th Semester
IAAS, Paklihawa Campus

2. • Wild shiitake is known as “Mrige Chyau” in Nepal and the name
means “deer mushroom.” Perhaps the name comes from the look
of a its skin deer.
• Its scientific name is Lentinula edodes.
• Traditionally, the people of Nepal collect wild mushrooms from
the forest during the rainy season for their own consumption as
well as for sale. Shiitake accounts for about 5% of the collected
wild mushroom crop.
• The wild edible mushrooms are sold in a very low price on the
street and in the markets.
• The people in the city are fond of wild mushrooms, and there are
frequent incidences of mushroom poisoning.

3. • Poisoning reports are common from the hospitals, with between
100 to 120 cases appearing per year per hospital.
• The villagers usually recognize the edible mushrooms from the
knowledge inherited from their parents or neighbors.
• Among these wild mushrooms shiitake used to be one of the
most common varieties.
• However, wild shiitake is getting hard to find these days,
perhaps due to a lack of wood logs lying on the forest ground.

4. • Mostly Japanese strains used for shiitake
cultivation are:
Mori 121
Mori 290
XR18
W4 and
Meiji.
• Mori strains are the best and most
suitable for the climate of Nepal.

5. Botanical Names Nepali Names
Alnus nepalensis Uttis (उतिस)
Castanopsis indica Dhale Katus (डाले कटुस)
Prunus serasoides Painyu (पैयु)
Betula alnoides Bhojpatra (भोजपत्र)
Juglans regia Okhar (ओखर)
Schima wallish Chilaune (चिलाउने)
Choerospondia axillaris Lapsi (लप्सी)
Pinus walachina Gobre Salla (गोब्रे सल्ला)
Quercus semicarpifolia खस्रु Khasru/ खसुु Kharsu / ठिङ्के दार Thinke
Daar
Faxinus floribanda Lankuri (लााँकु री)

6. • The wood logs are cut down in December when the average
temperature is 19-22ºC and humidity 70-80%.
• The logs are piled up in a heap and dried under shed for a period of
one month.
• The ideal size of the wood logs is one meter long and 10-15 cm in
diameter.
• These wood logs are cut carefully so as not to damage the bark and
also handled carefully during the operation.

7. • Then the holes of diameter 2 cm and depth 1 inch(2.5 cm) are drilled
at a distance of 10 cm between the holes and 5 cm between the lines.
• The wood logs are inoculated in holes with shiitake spawn prepared
in saw dust in January when the temperature is 19-22ºC and relative
humidity 70-80%.
• The inoculation is done by hand and sealed with paraffin wax.

8. • The inoculated logs are piled and sprinkled with water 2-3 times a
week and store for a month. Then the logs are turned upside down
and stacked again.
• The same process is repeated every month and the wood log stacking
is done in the same way throughout the spawn run period. During
piling the wood logs should not touch the soil and there should not
be accumulation of water in plastic bamboo shed.

9. • The logs will be ready for fruiting after 8 months of inoculation.
• To check if the logs are ready for induction, growers split the
inoculated holes to view the mycelia growth.
• During September, the logs are dipped in water in a small pond or a
metallic container for a period of 24-48 hours for induction.(photo)
• After dipping, the logs are arranged in a row on the bamboo stand at
a distance of 10 cm between them.
• Watering is done everyday so as to keep the logs moist.

10. • A week after fruiting induction the young fruiting bodies start to
appear on some logs. Shiitake can be harvested from October to
December.
• However, the production slows down during January and February
due to excessive cold.
• The production of Shiitake usually stops in summer due to hot
weather.
• The shiitake is harvested for three years in all tree species. It has
been found that shiitake can be harvested for 3.5 years from Alnus
species and for 6 years from katus trees.

11. • Shiitake can be harvested by rotating it in clockwise and
anticlockwise direction or by cutting it with sharp knife at
the surface of wood logs. Care should be given that no
ant parts of shiitake should remains in the wood logs.
• It has been found that shiitake production is about10-17
percent of the total weight of the wood logs. A 10 kg
wood log can produce about 1.5-1.7 kg shiitake
mushroom.

12. The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for
1 cup (145g) of shiitake mushrooms cooked without salt or oil.
• Calories: 81
• Fat: 0.3g
• Sodium: 5.8mg
• Carbohydrates: 21g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 5.6g
• Protein: 2.3g

13. Health Benefits:
1. Fight Obesity
2. Support Immune Function
3. Destroy Cancer Cells
4. Support Cardiovascular Health
5. Contain Antimicrobial Properties
6. Boost Energy and Brain Function
7. Provide Vitamin D
8. Promote Skin Health
Economic Benefits:
• The price of Shiitake mushroom is Rs. 700.00 to 800.00 per kilo in Nepal.
• Also, the price of dried Organic Shiitake Mushrooms is Rs 2,000/ Kilogram

14. Fungi:
• Hypocrea schweinitzii (asexual stage: Trichoderma
longibrachiatum)
• Hypoxylon truncatum
• Diatrype stigma (asexual stage : Libertella betulina)
• Trichoderma polysporum
• Bulgaria inquinans
• Black-rot disease
• Trichoderma viride

15. • Long-horned beetles (Family:Cerambycidae)
• Ambrosia beetles (Family:Scolytidae)
• Pleasing fungus beetle (Family:Erotylidae)
• Moths
• Slugs
• Mammals: mice, squirrels, deer, rabbits, ducks, geese and pigs

16. • Maintain the proper moisture content of log for shiitake
growth: between 30 and 50%.
• Provide good ventilation and drainage. Damp conditions favor
the growth of shiitake’s competitors.
• Do not expose the logs to direct sunlight. Shiitake mycelia may
suffer water-lacking stress under dry conditions.
• Perform timely inoculation of logs in order that shiitake could
pre-occupy the logs. Eliminate or exclude the contamination
sources. Contaminated soil, piles of dead leaves and mushroom
stubs after harvest can be a possible access for disease,
competitor and weed fungi to shiitake fungus.
• Remove spent and contaminated logs immediately.

17. • Gopal Prasad Parajuli et al, 2068. Shiitake Chyau Kheti Garne Saral
Prabidhi. Nepal Agriculture Research Center, Plant Pathology Department,
Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal
• Christine Ruggeri, Shiitake Mushrooms: 8 Scientifically Proven Benefits,
2018. Available at: https://draxe.com/nutrition/shiitake-mushrooms/
• Keshari L Manandhar, 2005. Shiitake log cultivation in Nepal,
In: Musroom Grower’s handbook.
• Mushrooms, shiitake, cooked, without salt. Food Data Central. U.S.
Department of Food and Agriculture. 2019.