How to harvest lion's mane mushroom? Detailed explanation of harvest time and method
How to harvest lion's mane mushroom? Please advise: lion's mane mushroom generally takes 10-20 days from primordium formation to harvest, and harvesting at the right time gives the highest yield and the best quality. The signs that the lion's mane mushroom fruiting body is mature are: the mushroom body has basically reached full size, is firm, white in color, with fungal spines appearing on the surface, the spines being 0.5-1 cm in length, and no spores have been discharged; at this point...
How to harvest lion's mane mushroom? Please advise
Lion's mane mushroom generally takes 10-20 days from primordium formation to harvest, and harvesting at the right time gives the highest yield and the best quality. The signs that the lion's mane mushroom fruiting body is mature are: the mushroom body has basically reached full size, is firm, white in color, with fungal spines appearing on the surface, the spines being 0.5-1 cm in length, and no spores have been discharged; at this point, harvest at the right time.
The timing of harvest should also be based on the destination of the product or the requirements of the buyer; young mushrooms can also be harvested when they are 50-60% mature. At this time, the fruiting body is at its best in terms of appearance and tenderness, as well as protein content and taste, and is most suitable for fresh sales in supermarkets or for export. Although this has a certain impact on yield, its commercial value is high, and production efficiency will not only be unaffected by the reduced yield, but will actually rise by a certain margin.
If harvested too late, the fungal spines become too long, a large number of spores are released, the fruiting body becomes loose, turns yellow, and has a strong bitter taste; quality and use value decline, and because the mature fruiting body absorbs more nutrients and water from the substrate, it becomes difficult to produce a subsequent flush, which will also affect total yield, and poor commercial value will lead to poor efficiency.
When harvesting, gently twist to pick the mushroom, then immediately clean the substrate surface, remove fungal skin and other debris, cover it as much as possible or tuck the tied opening inward; a large sheet of plastic film can also be placed over the shelf layer, spraying should be stopped, light should be blocked, and ventilation should be increased for 2 days. When the shed humidity drops to about 70%, close the mushroom shed so the mushroom bags enter a more suitable "resting" stage; after about a week, induce budding again and then proceed to management for the next flush. Generally, each batch of substrate can produce 3 flushes, with biological efficiency of 80%-120%, and the marketable rate can reach about 90%.
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