Shiitake mushrooms have several health benefits, including activating the immune system, aiding the natural renewal process of the skin, and preventing sclerosis of the arteries. Mushrooms are an essential part of the diet in Japan, and the fungi are in such high demand that roughly 50,000 tons are imported every year.
Unfortunately, growing them is not easy, it’s a long and labor-intensive task which usually involves growing them on hardwood logs that have been injected with spores. Mushroom farmers typically submerge the logs in water for 1-2 days and then beat the logs, which stimulates the shiitake into its reproductive phase of growth. Soon after, baby mushroom caps begin to grow out of the log.
However, researchers have discovered a more efficient way to produce shiitake mushrooms with a grander yield—via electric shock (artificial lightning). This is no surprise to Japanese farmers because, according to a Japanese farming myth, lightning makes mushrooms multiply. Research has revealed that there is truth in this tale.
The research was carried out by Koichi Takaki and his team, from Iwate University in northern Japan. Takaki gave shiitake mushroom logs high-voltage electric shock, recreating the effects of a lightning strike. The electrical shock caused temperatures to quickly rise, increasing the volume of air inside the log and creating a shock wave throughout the entire log. “This moves the hyphae inside the log, breaking the strands and stimulating fruiting body formation,” clarified Takaki.
Logs that received electric shock every day for a week did very well. Even logs 3 meters away from the artificial lightning still benefited, producing double the number of mushrooms than logs isolated from the shock. Takaki published the research in the Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics.
Takaki’s next steps will be to adapt methods and equipment so that fungi farmers can benefit. He plans to develop a compact and affordable machine so that farmers around the world can utilize the technology.
