Detailed Guide to Pollution-Free Greenhouse Cultivation Techniques and Growing Conditions for Reishi Mushroom

Reishi mushroom has been regarded since ancient times as a symbol of auspiciousness, preciousness, beauty and longevity, and is known as the "immortal herb" and "auspicious herb." Traditional Chinese medicine has long regarded it as a precious Chinese herbal medicine that nourishes and strengthens the body and supports vital energy. Today, with the rapid development of the edible mushroom industry, large-scale artificial cultivation is no longer difficult.

1. Conditions required for growth and development. Reishi mushroom is a wood-rotting fungus. In artificial cultivation, broadleaf tree branch wood, sawdust, cottonseed hulls and corn cobs are used as the main materials, with wheat bran, cornmeal and rice bran added as supplements. It is a medium-to-high temperature, constant-temperature fruiting fungus. The mycelium grows within 4-38°C, with the optimum at 24-28°C; the fruiting bodies can differentiate within the range of 20-30°C. The suitable water content of the substrate is 60%-65%; the suitable relative air humidity for fruiting body growth is 85%-90%. Reishi mushroom mycelium prefers a weakly acidic environment, with pH 5.5-6.5 being suitable, but in production, 1%-2% gypsum powder or lime powder is added to the ingredients to raise the substrate pH to 8-9, which naturally drops to around 7 after sterilization. Reishi mushroom is an aerobic fungus, and fruiting body growth and development require strong ventilation; carbon dioxide concentration has a great influence on cap development. Light is an indispensable factor for the growth and development of its fruiting bodies and can induce fruiting body formation; the growth of the stipe and cap shows obvious phototropism, and when the fruiting body is young, its phototropism is especially sensitive.

From the perspective of high quality and safety, natural organic materials should be selected as raw materials for cultivation, and the cultivation site should be far from pollution sources. If it is on both sides of a road, build the greenhouse at least 50 meters away; never add chemical fertilizers or various insecticides (fungicides), pesticides, etc.

2. Formula selection and mushroom stick preparation. (1) Sawdust 75%, bran 20%, soybean powder 2%, phosphate fertilizer 1%, sucrose 1%, gypsum powder 1%. (2) Cottonseed hulls 42%, sawdust 42%, bran 15%, gypsum 1%. (3) Cottonseed hulls 77%, wheat bran 10%, cornmeal 10%, sugar, phosphate fertilizer and gypsum 1% each. (4) Corn cobs (crushed to the size of soybeans) 50%, sawdust 35%, wheat bran 15%.

Control the substrate water content at 55%-60% and pH at 5-6.0. After the prepared substrate is piled and left to sit for 1-2 hours, bag it promptly, sterilize conventionally, cool, inoculate, and enter spawn-running management. Under suitable conditions, the mycelium can fill the bags in 25-30 days.

3. Greenhouse cultivation modes and high-yield management. (1) Stacked two-end fruiting mode: The mushroom greenhouse should be well ventilated and well lit, clean and hygienic. On the ground, make beds two bags wide at intervals of 70 cm, with the two ends of the mushroom bags facing outward, and stack 5-7 layers on bricks. When the surfaces of both ends of the mushroom bags change color and white protruding mushroom buds appear, cut open the plastic openings at both ends (about 2 cm) to promote bud growth. Never open the bag openings completely, to avoid water loss from the bags. (2) Soil-covering fruiting mode: Dig beds 25-30 cm deep, remove all or part of the plastic film from the mushroom bags, and place them upright in the beds with 3-5 cm between bags, filling the spaces with humus-rich garden soil, sprinkling a 2 cm thick layer of soil on top, then sprinkling a layer of coarse sand or small stones. After covering with soil, spray water immediately. When multiple mushroom buds appear on the surface of the mushroom bag substrate, use sterilized scissors to cut some away, keeping 2-3 buds per bag so that nutrients are concentrated and large, thick-capped fruiting bodies grow. Within the suitable temperature range for fruiting, a slightly lower temperature (25-26°C) gives a denser texture, well-developed caps, lustrous color, thick caps and good quality. During the fruiting period, keep the relative humidity in the greenhouse at 85%-95%. There should be sufficient scattered light in the greenhouse, and the light should be even. As light intensity increases, caps form quickly, stipes are short, more pigment is deposited in the cap cell walls, and the cap color is deep and lustrous. During the fruiting period, the greenhouse should be ventilated and aired in a timely manner to keep the air fresh and prevent deformed mushrooms. In substrate-based cultivation, generally 2-3 flushes can be harvested. From bud formation to harvest is about 25-30 days. With proper management, 1 kg of dry substrate can produce 100-120 g of dried reishi mushroom.