Mushrooms Fragrant, Mushroom Spawn Cultivation Blooming with Vitality

Editor's Note: Do you remember the matsutake, the first delicious ingredient introduced in the first episode of "A Bite of China"? It is a member of the large edible mushroom family. It is reported that China's edible mushroom industry, which started at the beginning of reform and opening up, has seen its annual output exceed 30 million tons and its annual output value exceed 200 billion yuan, along with the continuous adjustment of consumers' dietary structure and national policy support. China has become the world's largest producer of edible mushrooms, with edible mushroom output accounting for more than 75% of total global output, ranking first in the world. This issue's Frontier Focus takes you to learn about these blooming mushroom spawn and to taste the fragrant mushrooms.

3 Liquid Nitrogen Tanks, Why Are They Watched by Dedicated Staff? ——A Visit to the National Standard Strain Bank of Edible Fungi

In a laboratory of the Edible Mushroom Industry Science and Technology Research Office at the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, there are 3 liquid nitrogen tanks, watched over by dedicated staff every day.

What treasures are in the tanks? Recently, a reporter entered the laboratory to find out.

Over More Than 10 Years, 8,000 Strains of Germplasm Resources Collected

It is generally hard to imagine that the edible mushrooms in a boiling hot pot at 100°C have their germplasm resources stored at minus 196°C for permanent preservation.

In the 3 liquid nitrogen tanks of the Edible Mushroom Industry Science and Technology Research Office of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, more than 8,000 independent germplasm resources with important utilization value are preserved, and most of the germplasm resources already have DNA fingerprints.

"Do not underestimate these 3 tanks. This is currently the world's largest edible mushroom germplasm resource bank——the National Standard Strain Bank of Edible Fungi." In the eyes of Zhang Jinxia, director of the research office and chief scientist of the National Edible Mushroom Industry Technology System, they are simply "treasures." "Dedicated staff watch them every day, checking whether the temperature meets standards and whether they are operating normally. These were collected over more than 10 years, and there can be no mistake."

In the Next 30 Years, Commercial Mushrooms Could Reach 100 Species

Zhang Jinxia introduced that China has about 60 species of commercially cultivated mushroom crops, among which there are more than 20 common commercial mushrooms, and in the next 30 years this could increase to about 100 species. "At present, traditional varieties such as oyster mushroom, shiitake, black wood ear, hairy wood ear, enoki mushroom, and button mushroom continue to maintain their advantages and are the largest categories, each with annual output exceeding 1 million tons; rare varieties such as king oyster mushroom, almond mushroom, white beech mushroom, golden oyster mushroom, and poplar mushroom are gradually being promoted; new varieties such as pig's ear mushroom, wine cap mushroom, and cauliflower mushroom are constantly being bred and cultivated."

At present, the National Edible Mushroom Industry Technology System led by Zhang Jinxia has already achieved remarkable results——

"Breeding and screening models have been established for oyster mushroom, shiitake, black wood ear, enoki mushroom, and straw mushroom, carrying out targeted identification and screening for fruiting ability, high yield, resistance, and cycle. This has changed from complete field screening in the past to field trials after indoor preliminary screening, greatly reducing the workload of field trials and increasing breeding efficiency by 2.3 times. After 8 years of effort, the entire system has bred 44 superior edible mushroom varieties, which have already been promoted across the country."

In the summary of the work of the National Edible Mushroom Industry Technology System during the "12th Five-Year Plan," these complicated tasks that were passed over briefly embodied how many arduous days and nights of the scientists. In Zhang Jinxia's words: "China's edible mushroom research started relatively late, and science and technology have too many 'debts.' However, despite this, there is still a group of researchers working hard for it."

Li Yu, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor of mycology at Jilin Agricultural University, told the reporter that China's edible mushroom industry is developing very rapidly.

Let the numbers speak: according to statistics, China's edible mushroom output has exceeded 30 million tons, with total output value exceeding 200 billion yuan.

As an ideal nutritional and health food, edible mushrooms are increasingly favored by consumers. Edible mushrooms have become the fifth largest crop in agriculture after grain, oil, fruit, and vegetables, living up to the name.

Sterilized by Pressure Cooker, Two Nets Guard the Door

Cottonseed hulls, sawdust, corncobs, wheat bran, cornmeal, soybean powder, gypsum powder……Zhang Jinxia took the reporter to another laboratory, where such a pile of "strange" experimental materials was stacked. "These are the raw materials for making edible mushroom cultivation substrate." Zhang Jinxia told the reporter, "It can be seen that the cultivation substrate is made entirely from natural organic matter."

A large pressure cooker placed on the other side of the laboratory also caught the reporter's attention. "Whether we are doing experiments or growers are cultivating edible mushrooms, the mushroom sticks come out of the pressure cooker, and all materials have been sterilized." Zhang Jinxia told the reporter, "What kind of pathogen could survive after going through a pressure cooker?" It can be seen that, apart from the edible mushrooms artificially inoculated on them, the mushroom sticks contain no other microorganisms whatsoever.

After the mushroom sticks are sterilized, cooling and inoculation are carried out in a clean environment. After this series of professional processes, the mushroom sticks must be moved to another shed for fruiting. Before that, the greenhouse still needs to be disinfected and deinsectized first, in order to prevent diseases and insect pests during the fruiting period.

"After mushrooms grow, they naturally have a fragrance, which will attract pests." Zhang Jinxia told the reporter that therefore, the doors, windows, and ventilation holes of the mushroom shed are all equipped with insect-proof nets to block flying insects outside the shed from entering. Yellow boards that can stick flying insects and black light lamps that can electrocute pests are also hung inside the shed, so it is impossible for insect pests to occur. "It can be seen that pests and diseases throughout the entire edible mushroom cultivation process are completely controllable, and there is no need to spray pesticides. Edible mushrooms grown in this way can be described as 'hard not to be safe.'"