What Are the Varieties of Shiitake Mushrooms? A Roundup of Market-Favored Varieties

Shiitake mushroom cultivation is now an industry developed in many rural areas. Whether growing shiitake mushrooms is profitable depends not only on management and the quality of the spawn but also, to a large extent, on the shiitake variety. So what shiitake varieties are there? Which variety has good growing returns? Let's take a look below.

1. Shiitake 9608

This variety has a rounded cap shape, strong mycelial stress resistance, and relatively good heat tolerance, with less log spoilage during summer; it fruits after a mycelial age of about 180 days, with a temperature range of 4-28°C. It is currently grown mostly in the Henan area and comparatively less in Hebei.

2. Shiitake K5

This variety has large, rounded, firm-textured mushrooms with grayish-white caps and a relatively high fresh-keeping ratio; it is heat tolerant and is also a suitable replacement for 9608, with a mycelial age of 160-180 days and a temperature range of 5-28°C.

3. Shiitake 939

This variety has a mycelial age of 100-120 days and a fruiting temperature of 5-25°C; the mushrooms are rounded and readily form flower shiitake. Its characteristics are vigorous fruiting, high yield, and fast turning between flushes, but the stipes are relatively long.

4. Shiitake 808

Many people are familiar with this variety. Whether in Henan, Hebei, or the Liaoning area, this variety is planted in fairly large quantities and is very popular. Its shiitake mushrooms have relatively large caps, thick flesh, and short stipes, with fairly good mushroom quality; the fruiting temperature is 5-30°C, and the mycelial age is 100-120 days. It is a medium-temperature variety, but during summer it is prone to the phenomenon of high-temperature log burning.

5. Shiitake A6

Many people are unfamiliar with this shiitake variety. Its mushrooms are large in shape, with thick stipes and grayish-white caps; it is a firm-textured mushroom, with a mycelial age of 100-120 days and a fruiting temperature of 5-30°C. During summer, prevent high-temperature log burning.

6. Shiitake 238

This shiitake variety is grown in many areas and is one of the varieties favored by mushroom growers. The stock strain originated in Japan and was developed through years of crossbreeding and domestication. It is a broad-temperature variety and is especially heat tolerant, far exceeding 808 and 212. Moreover, the mushroom stipes are relatively short and small, with a mycelial age of 80-90 days and a fruiting temperature of 15-30°C.

7. Shiitake 241-4

The shiitake mushrooms it produces have a rounded shape, large caps, thick flesh, and short stipes; the mushroom flesh tissue is dense and low in moisture content, making it very suitable for drying. It is currently the variety with the best dried mushroom quality, and its mycelium has strong stress resistance and wide adaptability, making it suitable for spring planting and autumn harvest.

8. Shiitake 303

Shiitake 303 has relatively fast mycelial growth, snow-white color, and fairly strong adaptability. It has low requirements for cultivation conditions and can be used for open-air block cultivation in autumn, winter, and early spring. However, it has strict temperature requirements during fruiting; it does not fruit easily at high temperatures, so temperature management should be strengthened. This variety has a relatively high biological conversion rate.

9. Luyu No. 6 Shiitake

A medium-temperature strain, with a mycelial age of about 60 days; the mushrooms are medium-sized, with brown skin of medium thickness and short stipes, and good commercial quality. Its main feature is a relatively wide temperature range; when cultivated in large mushroom sheds, it can fruit in autumn, winter, and spring, and it also adapts to protected cultivation in summer. It is suitable for producing fresh mushrooms and not suitable for cultivating flower shiitake, with a general production cycle of 5-6 months.

The above is an introduction to some shiitake varieties. Besides the varieties above, shiitake also includes Luxuan 7579 shiitake, Shiitake SD-1, Shiitake SD-2, and other varieties. Among these shiitake varieties at present, the three varieties Shiitake 808, 238, and 9608 have relatively high sales and are more favored by mushroom growers and consumers.

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