Uncovering the Origins of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms

Edible mushrooms generally refer to the large fungi that people can eat, collectively known as mushrooms and toadstoolssuch as shiitake, wood ear, straw mushroom, button mushroom, and so on. Naturally growing edible mushrooms number more than 600species, some of which are highly valuable, yet currently less than 5% are used for commercial cultivation,

so they have great prospects for development.

Edible mushrooms have a unique, delicious flavor, and some are hailed as "treasures of the mountains." They contain abundantprotein, amino acids and vitamins, with nutrition falling between that of meat and vegetables, and arehonored as "the meat among vegetarian foods." Modern science has proven that many substances in mushrooms have anti-cancer effects.Different edible mushrooms have different effects such as reducing swelling and activating blood circulation, lowering blood pressure, calming the nerves and soothing the mind, moistening the lungs and replenishing qi, strengthening the brain and heart, and protecting the liver and stomach. They are excellent health foods.The people praised them in verse;

The people praised them in verse;

Shaped like lingzhi, looking like flowers, rich in nutrition and excellent in taste;

Strengthening the body with many effects, treating illness, preventing cancer, and lowering blood pressure.

Edible mushroom production has a short cycle and high economic returns. For example, under normal circumstances artificially cultivated straw mushrooms can produce mushrooms in 7-10 days and finish in 20-25 days; cultivated oyster mushrooms begin producing mushrooms in 15-25 days and finish harvesting three flushes in 50-70 days, with every 100 kg of substrate yielding 70-100 kg or more of freshmushrooms; substitute-material cultivated shiitake can produce mushrooms in 80-90 days,and in the two seasons of winter and spring every 667 sq m (1 mu) of mushroom shed can harvest more than 5,000 kg of fresh shiitake.and in the two seasons of winter and spring every 667 sq m (1 mu) of mushroom shed can harvest more than 5,000 kg of fresh shiitake.

Therefore, as long as one masters the techniques of cultivating edible mushrooms, the economic returns they generate are difficult for other cropsto match. In three-dimensional agriculture, interplanting edible mushrooms between crop rowshas shown tremendous vitality for achieving the goals of high yield and high efficiency. For example, in sugarcane fieldsinterplanting oyster mushrooms, every 667 sq m (1 mu) can harvest about 500 kg of mushrooms.

Edible mushrooms cannot carry out photosynthesis. The nutrients they need for growth mainlycome from natural organic matter and a small amount of inorganic elements such as nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium,calcium, magnesium, iron, and so on. Different types of edible mushrooms require different nutrients. Those currently cultivatedcan be divided into two major categories. One type can grow directly on dead wood, called wood-rotting fungi, such as shiitake, wood ear, and lion's mane mushroom; most of them can decompose organic matter such as lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, starch and protein. The other type grows on manure-straw piles or soiland is called dung-soil (straw) saprophytic fungi; they can use the organic matter and humus in dung and straw as nutrients, such as button mushroom, straw mushroom, and shaggy ink cap. There is also a category of edible mushrooms that cannot yet be cultivated with artificial culture material; only when their mycelium forms a symbiosis with plant rootsand relies on the plant to supply nutrients can they produce fruiting bodies. These are called symbiotic edible mushrooms,such as matsutake, Russula vinosa, and porcini.In addition to nutrients, cultivation must also satisfy the edible mushrooms' requirements for humidity, moisture andair humidity, aeration, acidity and alkalinity (pH value), and light and other living conditions.Different types of mushrooms also have different requirements.

With the rise of the edible mushroom industry, the expansion of production scale and year-round production,pests and diseases have become a prominent problem in edible mushroom production. However, because edible mushrooms have a short growth periodand their fruiting bodies are easily damaged by chemicals, and they are eaten directly, greater attention must be paidto good environmental hygiene, minimizing sources of pests and diseases and infection, and advocating the non-use or reduced use of agriculturalchemicals. When use is unavoidable, safe chemicals with high efficiency, low toxicity and low residue should also be selected.chemicals. When use is unavoidable, safe chemicals with high efficiency, low toxicity and low residue should also be selected.