The doctor researched growing red mushrooms with rice husks

From corn cobs and rice husks, Dr. Tran Duc Tuong researched growing red fuschia mushrooms instead of rubber sawdust, giving higher yields and better biological activity.

Since 2015, Dr. Tran Duc Tuong , 53 years old, Dong Thap University, began researching the use of corn cobs and rice husks to grow red fuschia mushrooms. In the past, mushroom growers often used rubber tree mulch, but research trials have shown that the nutritional content of corn cob material is higher, helping to increase productivity and economic efficiency.

Mr. Tuong said that corn cob and rice husk by-products are always available and abundant in the Mekong Delta region, thus reducing transportation costs and always being proactive in raw material sources compared to sawdust. Rubber must be sourced from the Southeast region. These two by-products have high cellulose and nutritional content, so they are very suitable for producing high-quality red mushrooms. According to him, there has never been any research to take advantage of the effectiveness of these agricultural by-products before.

Red Yunzhi mushroom. (Photo: Research team).

Pycnoporus sanguineus belongs to 25 main medicinal mushroom species with high medicinal value, mushrooms are rich in natural compounds that are beneficial for health. Dr. Tuong said that the original variety of red reishi mushroom was collected from Tay Ninh province.

According to the project leader, the most success of the research was finding a suitable substrate (corn cob) and optimal conditions to help increase productivity compared to traditional substrate. Experiments have determined that a growing substrate with a mixing ratio of 60% corn cob and 40% rice husk is most suitable for the mycelium system to develop well and spread the embryo bag the fastest. The yield of harvested mushrooms is high, reaching biological efficiency up to 20.52% (205.2 kg of fresh mushrooms/ton of dry substrate).

The experimental production model (2,000 embryos) applying technological processes from research results achieved high efficiency, biological efficiency of 20.71% superior to that grown on rubber sawdust (16.62%). ). He said that the average time for a production season from breeding to cultivating and producing dried mushroom fruit bodies is about 4-5 months.

The research team has designed a production technology process with simple techniques that are easy to implement, feasible, and can be deployed in accordance with the technical level and local conditions. Currently, the technological process has been applied at the High-Tech Agricultural Application Center of Dong Thap province and a number of home-based production and business establishments, and is ready to transfer technology to farmers and businesses for commercial purposes. product commercialization. Mr. Tuong added that the economic efficiency of using corn cobs and rice husks (model on a scale of 2,000 embryos) is 964.87%, higher than growing on rubber sawdust which is 727.68%. .

Facility for producing red fuschia mushrooms. (Photo: Research team).

Studies on toxicity and biological effects show that red reishi mushroom has the effect of improving health, enhancing immunity, antithrombotic, reducing blood fat, stabilizing blood glucose, anti-oxidant, and protecting the liver. , antibacterial, anti-cancer and safe to use. Red reishi mushroom has high medicinal and economic value. The dried finished product currently costs about more than 2 million/kg, but the investment cost for production is not high, it can be produced year-round from raw materials. Materials are always available and abundant.

His research work won first prize in the 16th Dong Thap Province Technical Innovation Contest in 2020 - 2021. In 2023, Dr. Tuong's work was honored in the Vietnam Golden Book of Innovation.

Dr. Tran Duc Tuong is currently a lecturer at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Dong Thap University. He graduated from university with a major in Biology Education, then continued to study for a master's and doctoral program in Biotechnology at Can Tho University. He has published 21 scientific works, chaired and participated in nearly 20 science and technology research projects at ministerial, provincial and grassroots levels, published 5 textbooks and lectures.