Detailed Explanation of High-Yield Cultivation Techniques for Ganoderma lucidum Using Short Logs with Sterilized Substrate

Short-log sterilized-substrate cultivation is a relatively fast-developing new technique for cultivating Ganoderma lucidum (reishi) in recent years. On average, more than 20 kg of dried mushrooms can be harvested per cubic meter of wood, with high yields reaching more than 30 kg, a 20% increase over conventional cultivation methods. The reishi produced is firm and thick in texture, glossy, and higher in acid content than bag-cultivated reishi, with more than 90% of the product meeting export requirements.

1. Cultivation season: Ganoderma lucidum belongs to the medium-to-high temperature type of fungi, and its yield is related to the tree species of the logs, cultivation time, and cultivation techniques. Inoculation time can be arranged from late October to December, or from early February to early March. Logs buried in the same year can all produce 2-3 batches of fruiting bodies. For those inoculated before early to mid-December, the logs can be arranged and buried in March of the following year, and the yield in that year accounts for more than 70% of the total yield; for those inoculated in early February, the logs are arranged and buried in April, accounting for 55% of the total yield in that year.

2. Raw materials: ① All broadleaf tree species are suitable for cultivating Ganoderma lucidum, but hard-textured broadleaf trees give higher yields and better quality. Examples include Castanopsis carlesii, Castanopsis, and oak. If softer-textured wood is used for cultivation, the yield drops markedly in the second year. Select trees with a diameter at breast height of 8-20 cm. Felling should be arranged 3-5 weeks before inoculation; about 1 week before inoculation, cut into sections and remove branches. A moisture content of 38%-45% is suitable. ② The culture substrate uses miscellaneous wood sawdust as the main raw material, with appropriate amounts of wheat bran, gypsum powder, and other auxiliary materials added. The plastic bags use low-pressure polyethylene tube material with a thickness of 0.45-0.6 cm. The bag mouth diameter comes in different specifications such as 14, 15, and 20 cm, and the bag length is 45-55 cm.

3. Production process flow: raw material preparation (felling of logs, cutting into sections) -> bagging -> tying the bag mouth -> sterilization -> inoculation -> mycelial culture -> placing on beds and covering with soil -> fruiting body management -> harvesting of Ganoderma lucidum.

(1) Bagging: Cut the logs into 30 cm long sections, place them in bags, put sawdust culture substrate at the bottom and on the surface of the log sections, tie the bag mouth, and use atmospheric-pressure sterilization at 100°C for 12-14 hours.

(2) Inoculation: Move the sterilized bagged log sections into an inoculation room (or inoculation box) to cool, and strictly carry out inoculation under aseptic operation. The usual amount of spawn used is 90-130 bottles per cubic meter of log sections. A larger inoculation amount can accelerate mycelial colonization and reduce the contamination rate.

(3) Mycelial culture: Disinfect the culture room before placing the log-section bags inside. Stack the inoculated log-section bags in a "well" pattern and culture them in the dark at an indoor temperature of 20°C-25°C. After 1 week, ventilate the culture room once a day at noon, and gradually increase the ventilation amount as the mycelial growth time extends. After about 60-70 days or more, the mycelium matures, at which point soil-burial cultivation is carried out.

(4) Placing on beds and burying in soil: Choose a site sheltered from the wind and facing the sun, with good ventilation and convenient drainage, to build a shade shed. Before the colonized logs enter the shade shed, clear weeds and pests, and after exposing them to the sun for several days, make beds. The beds are 100-120 cm wide and 20 cm deep, with walkways left between them. Spread insecticides and ant-killing chemicals on the bed surface, and choose a sunny day with a temperature of 16°C-22°C to remove the bags and bury the logs.

(5) Fruiting body management: After the colonized logs are buried in soil, keep the bed surface always moist, and control the shed temperature at 26°C-30°C. After 15-20 days, primordia emerge from the soil. Maintain a relative humidity of 85%-90%. When ventilation, temperature, humidity, and light conditions are all suitable, the mushroom caps differentiate. Therefore, the focus of fruiting body management is regulating the three key factors: moisture, ventilation, and temperature and light.

(6) Harvesting: When the yellow-white growth ring at the edge of the mushroom cap disappears and the cap color deepens, the cap gradually thickens and releases a large amount of reddish-brown spores, at which point it can be harvested. Stop spraying water before harvesting.