Effects of genotype, spawn run time, and substrate formulation on biological efficiency of shiitake.

Substrate formulations of sawdust, wheat bran, and millet were inoculated with spawns from one hybrid and two parental genotypes of Lentinula edodes. Biological efficiency (BE) and size data on mushrooms harvested from two substrate formulations with spawn run times of 60, 90, and 120 days were analyzed. A significant genotype-spawn run time-substrate formulation interaction was observed for BE. The longer spawn runs resulted in greater BE than the shorter spawn runs. This study points to the need for more work to determine the underlying variability within genotypes.