Eight Technical Measures for High-Yield Cultivation of Lion's Mane Mushroom

Selecting Good Strains First, the mother cultures used for production should have excellent traits, shown as fast growth, uniform and neat, and covering the slanted surface within two weeks at suitable temperature. When preserved in a refrigerator, primordia often form, and microscopic examination shows a small number of chlamydospores; if there are too many spores, the yield tends to be low. If the mycelium turns yellow, is thin and weak, or sparse, it indicates that the strain has degenerated. If growth is uneven or irregular, or there is antagonism, it indicates that the strain is not pure, and none of these should be used. All stock cultures should be dense and white, uniform from top to bottom, with no interruption in the mycelium, and vigorous mycelium on the surface. If the substrate shrinks and dries, separates from the container wall, and the color darkens, it indicates that the strain is aging. If stripes and spots of various colors appear around the wall, it indicates that the strain is contaminated and cannot be used. Second, the age of the strain must be appropriate. Generally, mother cultures and stock cultures preserved in a refrigerator should not exceed 3 months, and at room temperature (20°C) should not exceed 20 days. If the strain age is too long, its vigor declines, resulting not only in slow growth and low yield, but also poor stress resistance, making it highly susceptible to contamination. In addition, excellent varieties suitable for local production should also be selected.

Cultivating at the Right Time The optimum temperature for the mycelium of lion's mane mushroom is around 24°C, and the suitable temperature for the fruiting body is 18-20°C. This fungus is very sensitive to environmental conditions, especially during the fruiting body stage, when it is sensitive to temperature. When the temperature is above 25°C or below 12°C, normal fruiting bodies cannot form, showing no spines, yellowing, clustered growth, deformity, or reddening, and growth stops. In northern cultivation, inoculation in February or September is best, and fruiting in March-April or October-November is best. In the south, spring and autumn cultivation can be advanced or delayed by 20-30 days respectively. Practice has shown that in northern spring cultivation, fruiting should not be later than mid-March, so as to avoid yield reduction and quality decline caused by high temperatures above 25°C during the fruiting period. In autumn cultivation, if the temperature is relatively low (below 30°C), inoculation can be carried out as early as possible, so as to finish fruiting before the temperature drops below 12°C.

Raw Material Formulation Raw material formulation is the basis for achieving stable and high yields. For stock cultures and cultivation cultures, the substrate can use locally available materials. A commonly used formula is: cottonseed hulls 87%, wheat bran 10%, sucrose 1%, gypsum 1%, sawdust 1%. Research shows that within a certain range, increasing the amount of wheat bran added to the medium increases yield, but there is a limit. For cultivation with cottonseed hulls, the amount of wheat bran should not exceed 15%, otherwise it not only increases cost, but also causes the fruiting bodies to branch loosely, appearing cauliflower-like or coral-like, reducing quality. To improve yield and quality, when mixing the substrate, as much water as possible may be added within the allowable range. A substrate-to-water ratio of 1:1.5-1.6 is better, so that the first flush mushrooms are large and heavy, white in color, good in taste, and of good commercial quality.

Small Bag Cultivation Practice has shown that cultivating lion's mane mushroom in small bags (14 cm x 30 cm) with collar rings and inoculation at both ends results in early fruiting and high yield. Generally, the first flush is 2-5 days earlier, and the cap diameter reaches 8-9 cm. When filling the bags, the outside should be tight and the inside loose, to prevent water loss from the substrate from affecting normal fruiting. In addition, the substrate should be filled fully, leaving little space, to avoid too long a stipe and excessive nutrient consumption.

Thorough Sterilization Thorough sterilization is the key to ensuring the finished product rate of the bags. For small bags under high-pressure sterilization, it is required to maintain 14.7 x 104 Pa for 1.5-1.8 hours, and for large bags for 1.8-2.4 hours; for normal-pressure sterilization, maintaining 100°C for 4 hours and then keeping warm for another 4 hours is preferable. If the temperature is insufficient, the sterilization time must be extended. High-pressure sterilization must also prevent the bags from swelling with gas and bursting, so when filling the substrate, the tied opening need not be too tight. During sterilization, use the method of opening the valve to heat, raising the temperature with a gentle fire, slowly releasing steam, and naturally reducing pressure to control swelling. To prevent holes in the bag surface, after sterilization soak the substrate bags while hot in thick limewater with a pH value of 13. This can significantly increase the finished product rate of the bags.

Ventilation and Moisture Retention During the Fruiting Period The focus of lion's mane mushroom cultivation management is during the fruiting period, and the key to fruiting period management is temperature control, ventilation, and moisture retention. In small bag cultivation, primordia begin to form after 19-24 days, at which point they should be moved into the mushroom house, and openings should be made in time for ventilation, to prevent the primordia from shrinking and delaying fruiting. For log cultivation, a 1-2 cm cross-shaped cut can be made with a small knife at the place where the mycelium is knotted, to increase oxygen and promote fruiting body differentiation. After opening, humidity should be increased by spraying atomized water, so that the relative air humidity reaches 80%-90%. After fruiting begins, water must never be sprayed on the young buds, otherwise water seeping into the bag will cause the young mushrooms to shrink and then deteriorate and rot. Spray less but frequently, and as the fruiting bodies grow faster, increase the amount of water. If the temperature is high and ventilation is poor, spray less or not at all; if ventilation is good and the temperature is suitable, spray more and frequently. The fruiting body is extremely sensitive to carbon dioxide. When the carbon dioxide concentration in the air exceeds 0.1%, it stimulates continuous differentiation of the stipe, forming cauliflower-like or coral-like fruiting bodies and reducing palatability. Therefore, ventilation must be strengthened, 2-3 times per day, 30 minutes each time. Windows can also be kept open to ensure fresh air, but the air must not blow directly onto the fruiting bodies, to prevent discoloration and shrinkage.

Timely Harvesting and Water Supplementation It generally takes about 10 days from bud emergence to maturity for lion's mane mushroom. Because of different uses, the harvesting standards vary. If for fresh eating, canning, or salting, harvesting when the spines are 0.3-0.5 cm long is best, when the mushroom body is solid and heavy and highly palatable. If the spines are longer than 1 cm, it begins to release spores, which inevitably reduces nutrition, while the mushroom body softens and the taste declines. When harvesting, cut it off with a small knife, leaving a 1-2 cm stipe. To increase yield, after harvesting the first flush, stop watering for 3 days and ventilate for 1 day, so that the surface of the cut mushroom base shrinks. Then use bamboo chopsticks to make 2 holes 8-10 cm deep at the end of the bag, and depending on bag size, supplement 50-100 ml of water into each. After 24 hours, drain out excess water, and culture at suitable temperature for 7-10 days to produce the second flush.

Casing Soil in the Later Stage to Prevent Contamination After the second flush, the bags lose water severely, the lion's mane mycelium weakens, vigor declines, and it is easily contaminated. Especially in a warm and humid environment, it is highly susceptible to infection by Trichoderma viride. This fungus is aerobic and favors warmth and humidity, and once it occurs, it is extremely difficult to control. Therefore, casing soil cultivation can be carried out. The specific operation is: first spread 5-6 cm of soil on the ground, then remove the outer bags, place the mushroom bags longitudinally in two rows, with 10-12 cm between rows and 2-3 cm between bags. After arranging them, add 3-4 cm of soil to each layer, fill the gaps with soil, moisten with water, and then build the second layer. Usually 6-8 layers can be built. Smooth the two sides of the mushroom wall with mud, 1-2 cm thick, and seal the top of the wall with mud to form a groove, to facilitate water supplementation and moisture retention. This treatment can both prevent mold and provide water and nutrients for the growth of lion's mane fruiting bodies, and usually 2-3 more flushes can be produced. A bed-style casing soil method can also be used, which is more conducive to water supplementation.