Detailed Explanation of Rapid-Growth, High-Yield Field Cultivation Techniques for Reishi Mushroom

Reishi mushroom, also known as red reishi, red ganoderma, or reishi herb, is a precious medicinal fungus. The rapid-growth, high-yield field cultivation technique for reishi mushroom features mushroom sticks that do not shed, fixed-point fruiting, directional water supply, high biological efficiency, and good product quality. Each mu of land can be planted with 8000-10000 sticks, with considerable economic benefits.

I. Stick Preparation and Mycelium Incubation

1. Culture medium formula: (1) Hardwood sawdust 78%, wheat bran (or rice bran) 20%, sugar 1%, gypsum 1%; (2) Cottonseed hull (or sweet potato residue) 78%, wheat bran 15-20%, gypsum 1-2%, sugar 1%, urea 0.4%, superphosphate 0.6%. The moisture content of the above culture media should be kept at 60%, with a pH value of 5.5-6.

2. Bagging and sterilization: Use low-pressure polyethylene plastic bags, size 60 cm x 15 cm, thickness 4-5 silk, each bag filled with 1 kg of dry material. The bags must be filled firmly. For small-scale cultivation, manual bagging can be done by pressing the material with a wooden stick while filling. For large-scale cultivation, a bagging machine can be used. After bagging, tie the bag opening tightly and heat-seal it. Bags should be sterilized on the same day they are filled. Sterilization involves raising the temperature to 100 degrees C and maintaining it for 10-12 hours.

3. Inoculation and mycelium incubation: After the bag temperature drops to 30 degrees C, perform inoculation under sterile conditions in an inoculation box or inoculation room. Inoculation method: Use a sterilized hole punch to make 5 holes on the bag surface, arranged at equal distances in a straight line, with a hole diameter of 1.2-1.5 cm. Then use tweezers to pick up a small piece of spawn and quickly insert it into the hole, and apply a 12 sq cm piece of adhesive tape over the hole opening. Each bottle of spawn can inoculate 80-100 holes. The inoculated mushroom sticks should be immediately placed in the incubation room for culturing (the incubation room should first be disinfected with formaldehyde, with temperature controlled at 22-25 degrees C). After 5 days of culturing, arrange the mushroom sticks in a "#" shape or triangular arrangement, with 8-12 layers per row, 3-4 bags per layer, and rotate them once every 5-6 days. When the inoculated mycelium grows to a diameter of more than 2 cm, peel back a corner of the adhesive tape to increase oxygen. Only uncover 1-2 holes per stick each time. After 45-60 days of culturing, when white or yellow raised lumps appear on the surface of the mycelium culture medium, it indicates physiological maturity, and the sticks can be transferred to the field for fruiting.

II. Outdoor Layout

Select an open area with good ventilation and sufficient water source, or a paddy field after harvest, as the mushroom yard. The mushroom yard should be disinfected, sterilized, and pest-controlled in advance. For paddy fields, drain and sun-dry the field in advance, then dig trenches and form raised beds. Dig soil pits 5-6 cm deep on the bed surface for burying the sticks. Build a simple frame over the bed surface, about 2 m high, and cover the top and surroundings with thatch, reeds, etc., to create a mushroom yard with three parts sunlight and seven parts shade. Remove a 3 cm x 20 cm section of the plastic bag on the back side of the inoculation opening, then arrange the mycelium sticks into the soil pits on the bed surface with the inoculation openings facing up, and a spacing of 4-5 cm between bags. After arranging the bags, cover with 2-3 cm of sandy loam soil, then arch long bamboo strips over the bed and cover with plastic film.

III. Field Management

Within 3-5 days after burying the bags, there is no need to disturb the plastic film. When the surface soil temperature exceeds 28 degrees C, uncover the film for ventilation. After 5 days, gradually increase ventilation, lifting the film 2-3 times per day for 20-30 minutes each time, then gradually increase further. If the covering soil turns white, spray water while ventilating by lifting the film. The amount of water sprayed should bring the covering soil moisture content to 25%, meaning the soil particles have no white centers. After small mushroom buds form, spray water 1-2 times daily inside the frame to maintain relative air humidity at 85-95%. After the mushroom cap differentiates, take care when spraying water to avoid getting it on the mushroom caps. When the fruiting body cap stops growing, it has reached maturity, and the first batch can be harvested and processed. After harvesting the first batch of mushrooms, increase ventilation to promote mycelium recovery and growth, and spray heavily to promote mushroom bud formation. Subsequent management is the same as before. A total of 3 batches of reishi mushrooms can be harvested throughout the entire process.