Key Technical Points for Imitation-Wild Ganoderma lucidum Mushroom Bag Cultivation

The mushroom bag preparation and mycelial incubation for imitation-wild cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum are basically the same as conventional methods. The key point is to carry out the fruiting body management under suitable outdoor conditions, so as to simulate as closely as possible the environmental conditions for the growth and development of wild Ganoderma lucidum and produce higher-quality Ganoderma lucidum. The fruiting method for imitation-wild cultivation can adopt either the mushroom wall style or the raised bed style.

Mushroom wall imitation-wild cultivation can be carried out in plastic greenhouses. The plastic greenhouse can be built in woodland that is sheltered from the wind, faces the sun, has good ventilation and suitable shade density, or climbing plants such as chayote and loofah can be planted around the greenhouse, with a trellis built above the greenhouse so that the vines climb on the trellis to avoid direct sunlight. The greenhouse is 3 m wide and can accommodate 2 mushroom walls, with the length depending on site conditions. The specific method of building the wall is the same as described above. After the mushroom wall is built, pour a small amount of water into the water channel at the top of the wall, and pour a moderate but larger amount of water into the water channels on the ground, so as to maintain the humidity of the mushroom wall soil and the air inside the greenhouse; the relative air humidity should be kept at around 90%. The greenhouse temperature should be maintained at 26°C-28°C. When the temperature is too high, the plastic film at both ends and at the base of both sides of the greenhouse should be properly opened for ventilation and cooling. After primordia appear, special attention should be paid to keeping the air inside the greenhouse fresh; on the premise of not causing the temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse to drop too much, keep the air in the greenhouse circulating frequently. To ensure the quality of Ganoderma lucidum, attention should be paid to preventing insect damage and rot, and soil disinfection should be carried out before cultivation. When insect-damaged or rotten Ganoderma lucidum is found, remove it promptly and do not leave it in the greenhouse, so as to prevent the spread of contaminating microorganisms. After Ganoderma lucidum matures, it should be harvested promptly.

When carrying out raised bed imitation-wild cultivation, raised beds and a shed can be built under tree shade, or a small arched shed can be built over the raised bed, with climbing plants planted around the shed and a trellis built on top of the shed to let the vines climb on the trellis for shade. The soil bed in the shed is about 1 m wide and about 15 m long. For raised bed cultivation, take the mushroom bags with fully incubated mycelium and remove most of the plastic bag from one end, leaving 5-6 cm at the other end. With the end retaining the plastic bag facing up, bury it upright in the raised bed soil, exposing about 4 cm above the soil surface. The mushroom logs are arranged in rows, with a spacing of 7 cm between logs, and the two rows of mushroom logs are staggered relative to each other. The management method is largely the same as the mushroom wall cultivation method described above. Do not water excessively in the first month; retain moisture 2-3 times. Be careful not to sprinkle water directly on the fruiting bodies. After the cap differentiates, remove the film and take away part of the shading material, so that the light transmittance increases to 50%, and increase the amount of water sprayed.

If imitation-wild cultivation is managed properly, the Ganoderma lucidum produced has short and thick stipes, deep color and large caps, and is very similar to wild Ganoderma lucidum.