Shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) is a globally recognized cultivated species, yet it remains underrepresented in Indian markets. This is primarily due to the lack of cultivation technologies using locally available substrates and the unavailability of suitable high-temperature tolerant strains. The present study investigates the effect of various organic additives, including rice flour, wheat flour, corn flour, horse gram flour, sorghum flour, black gram flour, green gram flour, and tapioca flour, on biomass production and non-enzymatic antioxidant activity in Lentinus edodes. The results demonstrated that among the tested additives, sorghum flour significantly enhanced the antioxidant content compared to the other organic additives. These findings suggest that sorghum flour could be a promising substrate for improving the antioxidant properties of Lentinus edodes, with potential applications in mushroom cultivation and food industries.
