Water concentration and rate of decrease in shiitake cultivation log during fruiting body development, as measured by MRI.

Large shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes, pileus > 8 cm in diameter) are difficult to cultivate and account for only 3-5% of the total harvest. This study focused on the water absorption process within a log during the growth of fruiting bodies in order to increase the yield of large shiitake mushrooms. Konara oak logs (Quercus serrata, 85-95 mm in diameter, 290 mm in length) were inoculated with shiitake mycelium plugs and nine months later, young fruiting bodies developed, at which point the log was analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over a period of two weeks.

Enhanced water uptake in the longitudinal direction by shiitake mycelium in shiitake cultivation logs: water content distribution in logs measured by magnetic resonance imaging.

In the cultivation of shiitake mushrooms (), the farmer needs to know the time needed to water in order to adjust the water content of the logs. To study the enhanced water uptake in the longitudinal direction by shiitake mycelium in shiitake cultivation logs, six dried test logs (, diameter of 38 to 48 mm, length of 110 to 118 mm) were used. Three test logs had shiitake mycelium grown on them, and the remaining three test logs had mold generated on them.

Enhanced water uptake in the longitudinal direction by shiitake mycelium in shiitake cultivation logs: increase in effective diffusion coefficient based on mass of liquid water uptake.

Unlabelled: In the cultivation of shiitake mushrooms (), the farmer needs to know the time needed to water in order to adjust the water content of the logs. In this study, six test logs (, diameter of 38-48 mm, length of 110-118 mm) were used, of which some were dried, some had shiitake mycelia grown on them, and some had mold generated on them. Liquid water was supplied to the test logs by placing the longitudinal direction of the test logs along the line of gravity and immersing the bottom of the test logs in water.

MRI visualization of shiitake mycelium growing in woodchip blocks used for shiitake mushroom cultivation.

In order to eliminate woodchip blocks where unwanted fungi have grown and select only blocks where shiitake mycelium are growing well, there is a need to develop a visualization technique for shiitake mycelium growing in woodchip blocks, and MRI is an obvious candidate technique. From the results of measurements of the woodchip bed in a small bottle (26 mm inside diameter) where shiitake mycelium was growing, the T relaxation time constant immediately after inoculation was 77.9 ± 5.