Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 316-328 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 316 Feature Review Open Access Substrate Management Affecting Yield and Quality Formation of Shiitake Mushroom(Lentinula edodes) Peiliang Li 1,2 1 Zhejiang Zhijiang Seed Industry Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 310056, Zhejiang, China 2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: 479017990@qq.com Bioscience Evidence, 2026, Vol.16, No.4 doi: 10.5376/be.2026.16.0024 Received: 10 Jul., 2026 Accepted: 17 Aug., 2026 Published: 25 Aug., 2026 Copyright © 2026 Li, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Li P.L., 2026, Substrate management affecting yield and quality formation of shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes), Bioscience Evidence, 16(4): 316-328 (doi: 10.5376/be.2026.16.0024) Abstract Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) is one of the important edible and medicinal mushrooms, and substrate management is a key factor affecting production stability, yield formation, and quality improvement. This review analyzes the effects of different substrate materials, including sawdust and agricultural and forestry residues, as well as nutrient supplementation, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, moisture conditions, and physical properties of substrates on mycelial growth, bag maturation, fruiting process, and fruit body quality formation. A high-quality substrate should not only provide sufficient carbon and nitrogen sources but also maintain good aeration, water-holding capacity, and an appropriate nutrient release rate. Hardwood sawdust remains the main basic material in current production; however, with increasing resource costs, alternative materials such as fruit tree branches, crop straw, and forestry residues have received increasing attention. Appropriate supplementation with nutrients such as wheat bran and rice bran, together with optimization of the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, can promote mycelial growth, improve substrate bag maturity, and enhance yield stability. Meanwhile, substrate composition also affects cap color, commercial appearance, nutritional components, and flavor compound accumulation of shiitake mushrooms. Based on production practices in major cultivation regions, including Qingyuan in Zhejiang Province and Xixia in Henan Province, this review discusses regional differences in substrate management strategies and industrial development characteristics. In the future, shiitake mushroom production should further promote the recycling utilization of agricultural and forestry residues, precise substrate management, and quality-oriented production to achieve resource conservation, cost reduction, and sustainable development of the shiitake mushroom industry. Keywords Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes); Substrate management; Lignocellulosic materials; Agricultural and forestry residues; Bag cultivation; Yield; Quality formation 1 Introduction Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) is one of the most important edible and medicinal mushrooms worldwide. It has attracted extensive attention due to its unique flavor, desirable texture, and rich nutritional and functional components. The fruiting bodies contain abundant proteins, polysaccharides, vitamins, minerals, and various bioactive compounds, providing both food value and health benefits. A mature shiitake mushroom industry has been established in many Asian countries, including China, Japan, and South Korea (Asdullah et al., 2025). Shiitake cultivation has gradually developed from traditional log cultivation to synthetic log cultivation, sawdust-based bag cultivation, and the use of mixed substrates containing various agricultural and forestry by-products. Modern production increasingly focuses on shortening production cycles, improving resource utilization efficiency, and maintaining stable product quality. Shiitake mushroom is a typical white-rot fungus capable of degrading lignocellulosic materials, and its growth largely depends on complex carbon sources such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in the substrate. L. edodes possesses a strong lignocellulose-degrading enzyme system, which provides the biological ability to utilize various plant residues for growth and development (Chen et al., 2016). Substrate management not only determines nutrient availability for mycelial growth but also directly affects mycelial colonization, bag maturation, fruiting body development, and final yield and quality. With increasing pressure on sawdust resources, the utilization of agricultural and forestry residues and the optimization of mixed substrates have become important research
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