How much do Poria cocos seeds cost? Detailed guide to cultivation methods
Poria cocos, also known as Yunling, Songling, Fuling and so on, is a fungal plant parasitic on pine roots. Its shape resembles a sweet potato, with a dark brown outer skin and a white or pinkish interior. Its original organism is the dried sclerotium of the fungus Poria cocos (family Polyporaceae), mostly parasitic on the roots of Masson pine or Japanese red pine. It is produced in Yunnan, Anhui, Hubei, Henan, Sichuan and other places. Let us take a look at Poria cocos seed prices and cultivation methods below!
How much do Poria cocos seeds cost?
The price of Poria cocos seeds is about 10 to 15 yuan per pack, but prices vary considerably depending on seed quality, specifications, place of origin and purchase quantity. Poria cocos is a facultative parasite, often growing wild in the rhizosphere of Masson pine, Huangshan pine, Japanese red pine, Yunnan pine, black pine and other tree species on dry, sunny slopes in mountainous areas at an altitude of 600 to 1000 m. Spores germinate at 22 to 28 degC, mycelium grows at 18 to 35 degC and grows rapidly at 25 to 30 degC, and fruiting bodies differentiate and grow at 18 to 26 degC and can produce spores. In production it can be cultivated with log sections, tree stumps and pine needles, but at present log-section cultivation still predominates.
Site selection and material preparation for Poria cocos
1. Cultivation site: For Poria cocos cultivation, choose a hillside at an altitude of 600 to 900 m with a slope of 15 to 30 degrees, sheltered from the wind and facing the sun, with somewhat sandy, neutral to slightly acidic soil and good drainage. Clear grass roots, tree roots, stones and other debris, then dig pits along the slope. The pits are 60 to 80 cm deep, and their length and width depend on the number and length of the wood sections; generally the length is 90 cm, the spacing between pits is 20 to 30 cm, and drainage ditches are opened around the perimeter.
2. Material preparation for cultivation: Prepare materials in the autumn and winter of the previous year. Cut Masson pine, remove the branches after cutting, and according to the size of the pine wood, peel the bark in alternating vertical strips 3 to 10 in number, with the peeled surface 3 cm wide and 0.5 cm deep into the xylem, so that the pine wood dries easily and exudes resin. Set the peeled pine wood up on site to dry thoroughly. When the cut ends of the pine wood stop exuding resin and give a crisp sound when tapped, saw it into wood sections 65 to 80 cm long and place them in a ventilated, light-transmitting place for later use. Around June, arrange the wood sections into the pits, with three sections per pit, mixing thick and thin and placing them in layers, ready for inoculation.
Inoculation methods for Poria cocos
1. Mycelium inoculation: On a sunny day, sharpen the upper ends of the medium and thin wood sections in the pit, then insert the cultivation spawn bottles or bags upside down onto the pointed tips, and cover with 3 cm of soil after inoculation. Alternatively, concentrate the cultivation spawn at the saw cuts on the upper ends of the wood sections, cover with a layer of wood slices and leaves, and cover with soil.
2. Flesh inoculation: According to the thickness of the wood sections, place them in layers of two on top and three below, or one on top and two below. When inoculating, use a clean knife to split the winter spawn, press the Poria flesh side tightly against the wood section with the Poria skin facing outward, splitting as you inoculate. The inoculation amount depends on the region, climate and other conditions.
3. Wood inoculation: Dig out the wood sections selected as spawn and saw them into 2 pieces. When inoculating, join the wood spawn and the wood sections end to end. The inoculation season varies by region: in areas with high temperatures, carry it out in early April; in areas with low temperatures, inoculate from early May to June.
Field management of Poria cocos
1. Inspect pits and fill gaps: 7 to 10 days after inoculation, white Poria cocos mycelium will grow, so check the fungal condition in each pit so as to fill gaps in time.
2. Control termites: If termites are found 7 to 10 days after inoculation of Poria cocos, immediately spray termiticide on the termites or on their trails for control.
3. Earth up and drain: After Poria cocos forms sclerotia (sets Poria), if Poria is found exposed above ground, earth it up in time, and pay attention to drainage in the rainy season.
4. Harvest in good time: When Poria cocos is yellow-brown on the outside, it can be dug up; if it is yellow-white, it is not yet mature, and if it turns black, it is overripe.