Influence of low-intensity light on the biosynthetic activity of the edible medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers. in vitro

Abstract

Understanding the impact of light on the physiology and metabolism of edible and medicinal mushrooms can step up the technologies aimed at obtaining bioactive compounds. The article presents data on the influence of low-intensity quasimonochromatic light on the biosynthetic activity of Hericium erinaceus edible medicinal mushrooms in vitro. An artificial lighting setup based on light-emitting diode (LED) arrays with wavelengths ?=470 nm (blue), ?=530 nm (green), and ?=650 nm (red) was used. An argon gas laser served as a coherent visible light source at a wavelength of 488 nm. The mycelium of H. erinaceus irradiation by low-intensity light at wavelengths of 488 nm, 470 nm, and 650 nm reduced the lag phase and increased the culture?s growth rate. The highest biomass yield (12.1 g/L) on the 12th day of cultivation was achieved with light irradiation at a wavelength of 488 nm. Irradiation of the mycelium of H. erinaceus in all used wavelength ranges led to an increase in the synthesis of polysaccharides and unsaturated fatty acids. The modes of irradiation with laser light ?=488 nm and LED ?=470 nm were the most effective.