What is the impact of tubercles and large holes quantity on shiitake fruiting?

What is the impact of tubercles and large holes quantity on shiitake fruiting?

Generally speaking, if there are many tubercles, the number of large holes punctured should also be appropriately increased (usually 70-80). This is because it allows better air circulation for the shiitake logs, making them easier to shrink. Although it facilitates shiitake fruiting, it may lead to an excessive number of mushrooms.

If there are few tubercles, the number of large holes punctured should be appropriately reduced (usually 40-50). In this case, although fewer shiitake are fruiting, their quality is better.

In fact, puncturing large holes in shiitake logs does not entirely depend on the number of tubercle, but on the degree to which the mycelium decomposes the wood chips. And to a certain extent,the real tubercle can reflect the degree of wood chip decomposition by the mycelium. Strictly speaking, as long as the mycelium has fully colonized shiitake log and after "secondary re-colonization" (the shiitake logs turn white, cannot see wood chips clearly), large holes can be punctured regardless of whether there are many or few tubercles.

The "secondary re-colonization" of shiitake log is very important. Only after secondary re-colonization can the surface of the shiitake logs have more nutrient-absorbing mycelium, which is more conducive to the formation of a fungal skin through color transformation. Because shiitake buds first form under the fungal skin, and under the protection of the fungal skin, they can fully absorb nutrients and water before breaking through the skin to grow. Therefore, robust  shiitake buds all require the protection of the fungal skin. Only when the fungal skin has properly transformed color and remains moist can mushroom fruiting be easier, and the occurrence of malformed shiitake be less likely.

So,whether have more or fewer tubercles and large holes on shiitake fruiting , it depends on the season, and first of all, it must be ensured that the shitake logs have undergone secondary re-colonization.

In autumn and winter, when the temperature is relatively low and the air is dry, the shiitake logs should have tubercles covering 2/3 of them before puncturing large holes, as this is more conducive to color transformation.

In spring and summer, when the temperature is high and humidity is high, tubercles covering 1/3 of the shiitake logs are sufficient. Because if there are too many tubercles and they encounter high temperatures, the tubercles are likely to be damaged, leading to black water leakage.