The Relevance of Solid-state Substrate Moisturing on Ganoderma lucidum Biomass Cultivation

Jožica Habijanič¹ and Marin Berovič^1,2*

¹National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1115 Ljubljana, Slovenia
²Department of Chemical, Biochemical & Ecology Engineering, University of Ljubljana Hajdrihova 19, SI-1115 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Article history:
Received December 10, 1999 
Accepted May 17, 2000

Key words:
solid-state cultivation, moisture content, Ganoderma lucidum 

Summary:
Solid-state cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum biomass based on originally isolated Slovenian strain and production of its polysaccharides in horizontal stirred tank reactor (HSTR) were developed. For solid state G. lucidum biomass cultivation and polysaccharide production, moisture fraction of solid substrate 70 % was found as a critical value. Moisture fractions higher than 70 % promote the growth and polysaccharide production, while below 70 % the growth of mycelium is slower and polysaccharide production is reduced. As the moisture of the substrate drops to 55 %, growth of mycelium stops, therefore, after 7 days of cultivation continuous moisturing of the substrate is necessary for high biomass and polysaccharide production. 

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