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How to make mother spawn and cultivation spawn media of Lion's Mane ?
1. Preparation of Culture Media
(1) Common Formulas
There are various formulas for mother spawn and cultivation spawn media of Lion's Mane. The most commonly used ones include:
① Hardwood sawdust 78%, wheat bran 20%, sugar 1%, gypsum 1%.
② Cottonseed hulls 80%, wheat bran 18%, sugar 1%, gypsum 1%.
③ Hardwood sawdust 40%, cottonseed hulls 40%, wheat bran 18%, sugar 1%, gypsum 1%.
(2) Raw Material Treatment
Before use, the substrate materials must undergo proper treatment:
Sun-drying:Purpose: Sterilization, pest elimination, and accurate measurement of dry weight.Method: Spread the substrate under direct sunlight.
Composting & Fermentation:For cottonseed hulls (large-scale production):Naturally pile and ferment outdoors for about 1 month.
For cottonseed hulls (small-scale production):Pre-wetting is essential (cottonseed hulls absorb water slowly).Soak in 1% lime water for 10 minutes, then drain and pile up for natural drying 1–2 days before mixing.For sawdust-based substrates:Pile outdoors and water regularly for at least 3 months before use.
（3）Mechanical mixing
Measure or weigh the required amounts of main materials and supplementary materials according to the formula.Put them into the mixer.Start the machine and mix them dry first.This is because wheat bran, rice bran, lime, etc. will form clumps when wet, making it difficult to mix evenly with the main materials.After dry mixing, add an appropriate amount of water.Mix again, usually for 10-15 minutes.
(4) Bottle or Bag Cultivation
Mother spawn of Hericium erinaceus can be cultivated in either bottles or bags.For cultivation spawn, bag cultivation is more suitable in production.Although using glass bottles can reduce contamination rates,glass bottles are easily broken during operation,resulting in high losses and costs.Additionally, bottle cultivation is very inconvenient during inoculation.In contrast, plastic bags have several advantages:Larger capacity，Lower cost，Easier transportation.More convenient for production and inoculation operationsTherefore, to improve production efficiency and reduce costs,plastic bags should be used for cultivation spawn in production.
(5) High-pressure Sterilization
High-pressure sterilization is currently the most widely used sterilization method. Mother spawn culture media must undergo high-pressure sterilization.High-pressure sterilization is performed in a high-pressure sterilizer. For mother spawn and cultivation spawn media sterilization, commonly used sterilizers include large-capacity horizontal and vertical high-pressure sterilizers.High-pressure sterilization can kill all microorganisms in a short time. This includes bacterial spores, fungal spores, and dormant forms. The sterilization effect improves with higher temperature (pressure) and longer duration.In actual operation, the temperature must be maintained at 127°C (0.15 MPa) for 2.5 hours. Hericium erinaceus mother spawn and cultivation spawn typically use cottonseed hulls or sawdust as culture media.These materials naturally contain many microorganisms. Their high packing density affects steam penetration and heat transfer. Therefore, maintaining this steam pressure for 2.5 hours is essential. Otherwise, sterilization will be incomplete.
Henan Joconn Machinery Co., Ltd. is an enterprise specializing in the production of mushroom equipment. It is engaged in the development, production and application of machinery and equipment for mushroom growth production lines.