What Is Bamboo Fungus? A Detailed Guide to the Key Techniques for High-Efficiency Cultivation of One of the "Eight Treasures of Herbs"

Many people are not clear about what bamboo fungus is. In fact, it is a type of fungus, also known as bamboo sheng or bamboo shen. The common varieties for human consumption include Dictyophora indusiata (long-skirted bamboo fungus), Phallus indusiatus (short-skirted bamboo fungus), Dictyophora echinovolvata (spiny volva bamboo fungus) and Dictyophora rubrovolvata (red volva bamboo fungus). Bamboo fungus is extremely delicious, with a rich aroma and abundant nutrients. Let us take a look below at the high-efficiency cultivation techniques for bamboo fungus.

I. What Is Bamboo Fungus, One of the "Eight Treasures of Herbs"?

Bamboo fungus is a cryptogamic fungus that parasitizes the roots of dead bamboo. Its shape somewhat resembles a net-like dried white snake skin. It has a dark green cap, a snow-white cylindrical stipe, and a pink egg-shaped volva. At the top of the stipe, a delicate snow-white net-like skirt spreads downward from the cap, and people call it the "Snow Skirt Fairy," the "Flower of Mountain Delicacies," the "Flower of Fungi," and the "Queen of Fungi."

Bamboo fungus has very high nutritional value. According to analysis, every 100 grams of fresh bamboo fungus contains 20.2% crude protein (higher than eggs), 2.6% crude fat, 8.8% crude fiber, 6.2% carbohydrates, 8.21% crude ash, as well as various vitamins and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and iron.

The protein of Dictyophora indusiata (long-skirted bamboo fungus) is extremely rich in amino acids, among which glutamic acid content reaches 1.76%, which is the main reason for the delicious taste of bamboo fungus.

II. Key Techniques for High-Efficiency Cultivation of Bamboo Fungus

1. Mycelium growth stage

Generally, after sowing, a plastic film should be used as a cover, with ventilation once a day for about half an hour each time. Within 20 days after sowing, the water content of the culture material can generally be maintained at 65% without spraying water, and the soil water content at about 20%. At this time, if there is particularly dry weather, appropriate watering can be done to keep the soil moist; if there is rainy weather, the film should be covered in time. The temperature for the growth of bamboo fungus mycelium should be maintained between 20-28°C. The temperature can be controlled by changing the time and frequency: if the temperature is too high, increase the frequency of ventilation; if the temperature is too low, strengthen the covering and switch to ventilating at warm noon.

2. Bud stage

Generally 50-60 days after inoculation, the mycelium grows vigorously, climbs onto the bed surface and gradually forms mycelial strands, turning to the reproductive growth stage. At this time, the relative air humidity should be maintained at 85-90% and the temperature at 22-25°C. It is necessary both to prevent excessively low humidity that would prevent bud formation and to prevent excessively high humidity that would cause the buds to rot. Remove the film regularly for ventilation to ensure the smooth formation of primordia. At the same time, pay attention to spraying pesticides to kill insects.

3. Fruiting stage

After bamboo fungus buds appear, the focus is water management. Maintain the water content of the substrate and soil and the relative air humidity at 85-90%, and carry out appropriate watering. When watering, it is best to spray in the form of mist to increase air humidity. Also pay attention to ventilation to maintain a moist and fresh-air environment; on cloudy days it can be appropriately reduced. In addition, create a certain amount of scattered light to promote the rapid growth of the fungus eggs and ensure that the fruiting bodies normally break through and spread their skirts.

4. Harvesting and processing

When the fungus ball develops from an oblate shape into an oval shape and further into a peach shape, it indicates that the fungus ball is about to split open. The fungus ball usually splits open most often at five or six o'clock in the early morning. After the bamboo fungus bud breaks open, its stipe rapidly elongates and then spreads its skirt, so harvesting of bamboo fungus is generally carried out between 8 and 10 o'clock each day. Harvesting should be done promptly, because if it is overdue, the spore body will self-digest or the skirt will fall off, reducing yield and affecting quality. When harvesting, hold the stipe with one hand, use scissors with the other hand to cut off the connecting mycelial bundle from the base, then slowly lift it up, and use tweezers to promptly peel off the cap and volva, leaving the skirt and stipe.