Viability and mushroom production of Lentinula edodes and L. boryana strains (Fungi: Basidiomycetes) after cryogenic storage of spawn stocks

The viability of two strains of Lentinula edodes and two of L. boryana under cryogenic storage during 1 week has been studied from the evaluation of five contact periods (1, 1.5, 2, 3 and 5 h) of the cryoprotector, glycerol 10% (v/v), with the mycelium. On average, 99.25% of samples were recovered, 1.5 h being the best contact period. Afterwards, samples of the strains, before and after the cryogenic process, were cultivated at a pilot plant using a mix of Carpinus carolineana sawdust, rice bran and sorghum grains as substrate. The evaluation parameters were: days of incubation, primordia initiation, number of flushes, fruiting body sizes and biological efficiency (EB). Only L. edodes developed carpophores. On average, 3–4 flushes were obtained, which reached EB of 67.1 ± 30.7 to 74.7 ± 24.5 with no statistical differences detected between the yields. The majority of fructification sizes ranged from 5 to 14.9 cm. Morphological differences between the samples before and after the treatment were not observed.