Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms: Molecular Biology, Cultivation, Active Compounds, Preservation and Processing

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2025 | Viewed by 480

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
Interests: cultivation techniques of edible fungi; the bioactive components of mushrooms; microbial enzymes; composting microorganisms; edible and medicinal mushrooms and their active component

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Guest Editor
Sichuan Institute of Edible Fungi, Chengdu 610066, China
Interests: cultivation and resource utilization of edible fungi; cultivation physiology of edible fungi; bioactive compounds of fungi; quality assessment of edible fungi; preservation and processing of edible fungi

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Edible and medicinal mushrooms are not only delicious food but also rich in various bioactive compounds, which are highly favored worldwide. With remarkable advancements in agricultural science and biotechnology in recent years, significant breakthroughs have been achieved in multiple aspects, including novel mushroom varieties, new raw materials, innovative cultivation techniques, newly discovered active components, fermentation processes, and preservation and processing technologies.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the research advancements in the field of edible and medicinal mushrooms, with a particular focus on new varieties, technologies, innovations, challenges, and potential applications. Topics of interest include new techniques for the artificial cultivation of mycorrhizal edible mushrooms such as truffles, advancements in the artificial cultivation of edible mushrooms like morels, molecular breeding of edible and medicinal mushrooms based on genetic engineering technologies, the isolation, identification, and efficient extraction of bioactive components, new technologies for preservation and processing, and technologies for the efficient utilization of spent mushroom substrate.

Prof. Dr. Guoqing Zhang
Dr. Yingyin Xu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • edible mushrooms
  • medicinal mushrooms
  • bioactive compounds
  • functional omics
  • preservation and processing
  • cultivation techniques
  • spent mushroom substrate

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 2168 KiB  
Article
Utilization of Giant Mimosa Stalk to Produce Effective Stick Spawn for Reducing Inoculum Costs in Economic Mushroom Farming Systems
by Orlavanh Xayyavong, Worawoot Aiduang, Kritsana Jatuwong and Saisamorn Lumyong
Agriculture 2025, 15(15), 1584; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15151584 - 23 Jul 2025
Viewed by 308
Abstract
The high cost of mushroom spawn remains a critical constraint to economically viable mushroom cultivation, particularly for small-scale farmers. This study investigated four spawn types, including stick (giant mimosa stalks, GMS), sawdust, sorghum, and liquid culture as inoculum sources for 10 edible mushroom [...] Read more.
The high cost of mushroom spawn remains a critical constraint to economically viable mushroom cultivation, particularly for small-scale farmers. This study investigated four spawn types, including stick (giant mimosa stalks, GMS), sawdust, sorghum, and liquid culture as inoculum sources for 10 edible mushroom species. The results indicated that GMS stick spawn provides excellent conditions for the mycelial growth of seven species, outperforming other spawn types in terms of colonization rate and pinhead formation. Mushrooms grown on GMS substrate demonstrated rapid development, with full colonization occurring within 11 to 26 days and pinhead initiation between 18 and 47 days, depending on the species. Among the mushroom species tested, Schizophyllum commune exhibited the fastest growth, reaching full colonization in 11 days and forming pinheads after 18 days of inoculation. In comparison, Auricularia polytricha showed the slowest development. Economically, GMS spawn was the most cost-effective at 0.074 USD per unit, significantly lower than sawdust (0.24 USD), sorghum (0.29 USD), and potato dextrose broth (PDB; 2.80 USD). The conversion from PDB with GMS could reduce industrial inoculum costs from 35,000 USD to 600 USD annually. These findings demonstrate the potential of GMS as an effective, low-cost, and sustainable spawn option that can enhance mycelial growth and support eco-friendly farming practices. Full article
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