Low-cost preservation protocol for Lentinus mushrooms

Preservation maintains the viability of an organism within a certain period. Mycelia are preserved through sub-culturing; however, it is laborious and maintains cultures for a short period. Hence, this study was conducted to establish an alternative low-cost preservation technique. The efficiency of wood sticks for the preservation of Lentinus tigrinus, Lentinus sajor-caju, and Lentinus swartzii was determined. The viability and the mycelial growth of the preserved cultures were assessed for 18 months. The efficiency of the method was verified by evaluating the fruiting body production. The incubation period, size of the fruits, yield, and biological efficiency were evaluated. Wood sticks were suitable for the three mushrooms which demonstrated 100% viability. The mycelial growth of the preserved cultures of L. swartzii and L. tigrinus are comparable to the control while a significantly longer mycelial diameter was recorded in the preserved culture of L. sajor caju. The control group of L. tigrinus and L. sajor-caju showed faster mycelial growth in fruiting bags while preserved cultures of L. swartzii showed a shorter incubation period. Fruit size, yield, and biological efficiency were all comparable. Therefore, this low-cost preservation method can be utilized to preserve L. tigrinus, L. sajor-caju, and L. swartzii for extended periods.