Project Number: 6227-21310-008-22
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jan 01, 2004
End Date: Dec 31, 2008

Objective:
The objective of this cooperative research project is to identify, produce and analyze specialty agricultural products suitable as cash crops for small family farmers in rural Arkansas. Specifically, research on the Shiitake mushroom will continue by evaluating the effects of strains and growing mediums on mushroom growth and mycochemical concentrations (e.g. Lentinan), and methods to compost spent Shiitake logs for use as a fertilizer and as a disease suppressant. In addition, other specialty agricultural products which have potential medicinal benefits and/or a high dollar value will be identified and evaluated.

Approach:
Candidate Shiitake strains will be selected based on past experience of Shiitake production in rural Arkansas. Spawn from the selected varieties will be inoculated into hardwood logs, as well as onto substrate growing medium. Resulting Shiitake will be analyzed for mycochemical content. The composting project, already underway, will be continued. Spent Shiitake logs will be composted and the resulting by-product will be used on controlled experimental plots to measure the effectiveness of the compost as a fertilizer and as a disease suppressant. For example: 1) Shiitake compost will be made into compost tea and applied as a disease suppressant to candidate plants (i.e. for tomato mosaic). Results will be compared to untreated tomato plants. 2) Experimental plots consisting of spinach, lettuce and loblolly pines will receive Shiitake compost as a fertilizer, while comparison plots will be given chemical fertilizer applications. Test plots will be compared for growth of plants, presence or lack of nematodes in the soil, insect resistance and disease resistance. Plants and other mushrooms having potential medicinal benefits will be evaluated for ease of growing and potential sources for medicinal and food purposes using approaches similar to that of Shiitake mushrooms.