Technology helps hedgehog mushrooms thrive in sandy soil

Within the mushroom sheds of Dabuchake village in Uxin Banner, Ordos city, clusters of hedgehog mushrooms are now emerging from mushroom logs, emitting an alluring fragrance.

"These are the sandy soil hedgehog mushrooms that were independently developed by Uxin Banner. They have a delicious flavor," said Yang Yubin, the Party secretary of Dabuchake village.

The village started cultivating them last year and has now expanded its cultivation scale. These hedgehog mushrooms can be harvested six or seven times a year, and their growth is excellent, Yang added.

Unlike their natural habitat in temperate and humid environments, the cultivation substrate for the sandy soil hedgehog mushrooms is filled with raw materials. It is primarily composed of salix sawdust, which undergoes thorough fermentation with organic matter. This substrate has become the exclusive "cultivation vessel" for the mushrooms.

The innovative idea of using salix from the desert as a "nutrient" for growing hedgehog mushrooms originated from the doctoral workstation that was established in 2023 in Galutu town.

"Our research team has broken through the key technology bottleneck of cultivating hedgehog mushrooms using salix sawdust in sandy conditions and achieved success. This is the first innovative instance of cultivating the mushrooms in the Mu Us Sandy Land," said Sangsaerzhula, a researcher at the doctoral workstation.

To date, Uxin Banner has produced over 50,000 bags of "sandy soil hedgehog mushrooms" substrate and sold over 300 kg of dried hedgehog mushrooms, generating an annual income of over 100,000 yuan ($13,698.63).

Meanwhile, the industrial chain of hedgehog mushrooms is extending further. Uxin Banner has collaborated with local food factories to produce and market "hedgehog mushrooms and date cakes", which has not only boosted employment within the village, but also generated certain economic benefits.