2025 application/pdf 1202329 bytes Marković, Miroslava Gagić-Serdar, Renata Češljar, Goran eng Keywords: Substrate acidity, Mushroom Production, Shiitake info:eu-repo/semantics/conferenceProceedings Abstract: For the fungus to successfully colonize the substrate, counteract competitive species, and perform maximum fructification, certain basic environmental conditions must be met, depending on the type and strain of the fungus and the phase of wood decay. This paper examines the basic environmental conditions during the first phase of Shiitake development – the phase of substrate colonization. The aim of the research was to determine the optimal conditions for the development of the fungus Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler. The results showed optimal acidity of the substrate stimulating the growth of this fungus, compared to the conditions under which the rival microorganisms developed. The highest weight of mycelial dry mass was formed at the substrate pH values between 3.00 and 3.63, meaning that this fungus could easily perform spontaneous infection. The changes in pH of the substrate where the examined strains of the fungus L. edodes grew shifted toward acidic reaction (5.15 to 3.52), suggesting that such acidity favors the development of the fungus investigated. Results show the stagnation of base pH value at the pH value of about 3.5, which indicates that these are the most favourable conditions for development of both strains of the fungus L. edodes in the substrate colonization phase (base pH of 3.6 being the most favourable for mycelial growth). The assumptions from the reference literature were thus confirmed by using the described methods. The fungus cannot thrive in an alkaline environment at pH 7.3. The influence of substrate acidity on production of mushroom Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:8748 ISBN: 978-99976-070-5-8 BOOK OF PROCEEDINGS XVI International Scientific Agriculture Symposium “AGROSYM 2025” startpage: 398 endpage: 403 All rights reserved University of East Sarajevo, Faculty of Agriculture, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina