A Detailed Guide to the Types, Prices and Selection Methods of Edible Mushroom Spawn
We all know that edible mushrooms are simply mushrooms, a type of fungus we often eat in daily life. In China, more than 350 species of edible mushrooms are known. Very few of these grow wild; most are cultivated artificially. If you want to cultivate them artificially, you need spawn. Without spawn, it is just like growing vegetables without seeds. So, what types of edible mushroom spawn are there?
1. What types of edible mushroom spawn are there?
1. Edible mushroom spawn, that is, spores, refers to the propagation material composed of edible mushroom mycelium and its growth substrate. Spawn differs according to the type of edible mushroom. In the 1970s, there were mainly 10 cultivated spawn types; in the 1980s this increased to 14, and in the 1990s it increased to 44. At present, spawn has been bred for most types of fungi.
2. Spawn is divided into mother spawn (first-grade spawn), stock spawn (second-grade spawn) and cultivation spawn (third-grade spawn). Mother spawn is the pure culture of mycelium obtained by tissue isolation or spore isolation from the fruiting body. Stock spawn is the pure culture of mycelium obtained by transplanting and expanding the mother spawn. Cultivation spawn is the pure culture of mycelium obtained by transplanting and expanding the stock spawn.
3. Different types of edible mushrooms have different spawn. Even for the same edible mushroom, its spawn can differ. For example, for black wood ear, according to differences in the color of the fruiting body, spawn is divided into two types: black varieties and brown varieties; for example, for oyster mushroom, according to differences in the color of the fruiting body, spawn is divided into two types: gray varieties and white varieties; for example, for straw mushroom, according to the size of the fruiting body, spawn has three types: large-grain, medium-grain and small-grain varieties.
2. What is the price of edible mushroom spawn?
The price of edible mushroom spawn differs according to type and place of origin. According to information provided by Alibaba, the prices of spawn are as shown in the table below:
| Merchant | Spawn | Grade | Price |
| Tai'an Daiyue District Heshili Edible Mushroom Professional Cooperative | Black Oyster Mushroom | First-grade spawn | 3 yuan/bag (minimum order 50-499 pieces) |
| Jiangxi Tianhe Edible Mushroom Development Co., Ltd. | Black Termite Mushroom | Truffle spawn | 9.5 yuan/bag (minimum order 6-1000 pieces) |
| Shandong Guanxian Kangrui Lingzhi Technology Co., Ltd. | Lingzhi (Reishi) | Second-grade spawn | 26 yuan/bag (minimum order 10-34 bags) |
| Tongshan District Yiyerong Family Farm | Oyster Mushroom | Third-grade spawn | 4.6 yuan/bag (minimum order 2-9 bags) |
| Gutian County Wangu Family Farm | Morel | Third-grade spawn | 20 yuan/bag (minimum order ≥2 bags) |
| Caoxian Nongbao Edible Mushroom Planting Co., Ltd. | Oyster Mushroom | Premium | 5 yuan/bag (minimum order ≥1 bag) |
| Shuyang County Xinhe Town Haishanghua Greening Nursery | Lion's Mane Mushroom | First-grade spawn | 19 yuan/bag (minimum order 2-9 pieces) |
| Ningde Runhe Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd. | Tea Tree Mushroom | First-grade spawn | 1.5 yuan/bottle (minimum order ≥700 items) |
| Zhangqiu City Edible Mushroom Research Institute | Oyster Mushroom | First-grade spawn | 30 yuan/item (minimum order 1-9 items) |
| Jinxiang County Jinzhou Wansheng Cold Storage Co., Ltd. | Black Termite Mushroom | Third-grade spawn | 3.5/bag (minimum order 100-9999 bags) |
| Yutai County Yongteng Elm Ear Sales Department | Button Mushroom | First-grade spawn | 50 yuan/piece (minimum order 2-9 pieces) |
| Yibin Shunan Bamboo Sea Nongyi Bamboo Fungus Cultivation Farm | Bamboo Fungus | First-grade spawn | 58 yuan/item (minimum order 1-49 items) |
3. How do you select high-quality edible mushroom spawn?
1. Look at appearance: for the same variety, using the same culture medium and culturing under the same conditions, the growth appearance should be basically the same; although the spawn of different edible mushrooms differs slightly in color, when growing on a natural lignocellulosic medium, the mycelium is almost always white.
2. Look at growth rate: for the same variety, using the same culture medium and culturing under the same conditions, the growth rate should be basically the same; whether during growth or after full growth, the mycelium should look plump, dense, thick and uniform.
3. Smell the odor: normal spawn, when the bottle (bag) opening is opened, gives off a rich mushroom aroma; if the odor is faint or there is no aroma, it indicates that there is a problem with the spawn and it cannot be used.
4. If the mycelium turns yellow, the culture medium shrinks, or it pulls away from the wall, it is aged and cannot be used or should be used sparingly; varieties without a production date and detailed biological characteristics of the spawn should not be used or should be used sparingly; varieties not tested at a base should be used sparingly or not at all; enterprises without production qualifications should not be used.
Edible mushroom spawn is mainly divided into three categories: mother spawn (first-grade spawn), stock spawn (second-grade spawn) and cultivation spawn (third-grade spawn); different types have different prices; according to the above four methods, you can select high-quality spawn.