This three-year project will primarily expand work with forest-cultivated shiitake production, with a trial of commercially-available strains and several yet-untested log substrate species, and also include screening trials of several other species of edible mushrooms that may likewise be grown on small-diameter logs. The project also targets developing connections with contemporary mushroom growers and researchers in Japan, and then extending the information gained to growers in the PNW. The project has a significant Extension component, with direct mentorship being provided from the research team to ten new shiitake mushroom growers in the PNW, and establishes a nascent PNW Forest Mushroom Growers Network. This project is funded by a grant from the USDA-NIFA’s Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program: https://projects.sare.org/proposals/show/795038/1692/
The Pacific Northwest Forest-Cultivated Mushroom Growers Network: https://www.pnwforestmushroomgrowers.net