The FujianAgriculturalUniversity organised its second international mushroom conference, devoted to the Juncao technology, from October 23 to 25. Over 100 participants from seven countries enjoyed the nice weather and beautiful scenery in Fujian province, but most of all the hospitality of the Juncao Institute.

Apart from a large delegation from The Netherlands, officials came from South Africa, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, and Australia. The organizing committee consisted of prof. Wang, dean of the University, and many other Chinese professors. The presentations covered many aspects of the mushroom sector worldwide.

Presentations

Prof. S.T. Chang had the honour to start with a presentation on the development of the mushroom markets in different regions of the world. He concluded that China should emphasise the development of the domestic market, as the high growth and growing incomes mean that more ‘purchasing power’ will become available. He estimated that China produced 70% of the world production in metric tons: 8.650.000 tonnes in 2002. He noted that export of China decreased with the growing domestic demand, but is still considerable at a level of 450 US$ million.

Prof. Yao Yijian, China Academy of Science Microbiology Institute, then showed how his institute conducts basic research, e.g. DNA screening of many species. Much of what is being called Ganoderma lucidum is actually another kind of Ganoderma (the microscopic differences between species of this genus being small). Tricholoma matsutake, the famous and expensive Japanese delicacy, is nowadays picked much in China for the Japanese market. Prof. Yao showed the differences between matsutake from various origins.

A completely different presentation from Papua New Guinea showed how implementation of the JUNCAO technology alleviated poverty for thousands of people. An unexpected effect of the projects there was the strengthening of the diplomatic ties between China and the government of Papua New Guinea.

Professor Arailde Fontes Urben from Brazil also showed how she used the technology for countryside development. She tried 11 different species and found she could harvest 37,5% of fresh Ganoderma from the moistened substrate.

Personally I contributed with a presentation on the problems European growers encounter in the cultivation of exotic mushrooms. The market for exotic mushrooms is still small and Chinese imports are likely to take over when the market grows. The main difference between European and Chinese growers is the scale of the farms and the level of mechanisation, which is needed to combat high labour costs.

Professor Wang, a plant pathologist from FujianUniversity itself, showed how his team works on genetic engineering of fungi. Right after the lectures, a brief excursion to a growing room showed how JUNCAO managed to grow several types of Agaricus bisporus on a Elephant grass substrate. The growing room was filled especially for the occasion of the Conference and also contained some Pleurotus ferrulae, which was the first time I saw this peculiar oyster mushroom. The next days were mainly devoted to experiences with extension work and the Juncao technology and a presentation by Jos Buth, director of the Dutch mushroom school C Point, on composting methods.

The implementation of the techniques has led to rising incomes in many villages on the Chinese countryside. Even under harsh conditions, like the dry Xinjiang area in China near the Gobi desert, the technology showed its versatility. The cultural differences have to be taken into account as well: the unskilled and illiterate women were hard to train. The scale of implementation was immense: in some projects thousands of people were trained. In Ningxia for example, the Juncao technology was applied in 2004 in 22 towns, over 100 villages with 7000 households and more than 10.000 mushroom sheds.

The next day, the new building of the Fujian Juncao Science Laboratory was officially opened and we visited the facilities with mushroom sheds and laboratories.

Mushroom farm excursions

Several farm trips were planned right after the congress, which showed the rich diversity of the mushroom industry of the Fujian province. The first trip was to Gutien, truly a mushroom capital, where 80 percent of the households are engaged in the mushroom sector. 90 percent of the world market of Tremella fuciformis originates from this region. The production level is astounding: we visited a beautiful brick stone mushroom house full of synthetic logs, and each log produced at exactly the same time three beautiful clusters of this peculiar mushroom.

Another village cultivated the species Agrocybe chaxingu; by cooperating and growing the same type of mushroom, marketing the product is easier. This species was recently domesticated by the famous San Ming Mycological Institute. It was the first time for me to see this mushroom cultivated.

The wholesale market for dry mushrooms showed the exact prices for different grades of dried mushrooms. An amazing number of mushrooms were sold: Dictyophra, The Veiled lady, Coprinus comatus, the Ink Cap, shiitake, oyster mushrooms, Agaricus blazei, different speces of Auricularia, Chaxingu, Tremella, Volvariella (Rice straw mushroom), Hericium (Monkey head mushroom), red coloured Russula and Boletus edulis from wild forests, etc. Every year 20.000 tonnes of Tremella and 30.000 tonnes of shiitake were sold at this market; just multiply by ten to calculate the original fresh harvest!

Another fieldtrip was to a Flammulina and Pleurotus eryngii farm. Here mushrooms were produced for supermarkets and Japan. These markets require constant delivery; therefore the growing rooms are all equipped with climate control. These modern farms contrast with the simple sheds on the countryside. More than ten of these larger farms have been built within two years in the city of Fuzhou only and more are likely to follow. The investment is a factor 20 lower compared to such farms in Japan or the nearby Taiwan, but require more labour. However, labour is cheap and abundantly available.

Product development

The food sector in China has developed rapidly the last five years. Formerly, bulk products would be packed and exported. There they were packed in the required form. Nowadays, more added value is delivered. We visited the Jiatian Agaric Development Company near Zhangzou, which processes and markets 30 tonnes of Auricularia every week. It also produces clusters of oyster mushrooms and the beautiful Clitocybe maxima, the Big Cup Mushroom (Dabeigu) in Chinese. This company had an interesting procedure to treat mushrooms and vegetables like carrots and yam: during freeze-drying, flavour intensifying oils are added, which results in crisp vegetables. Six different types of snacks were produced.

Near Zhangzou we also visited a grower of Agaricus blazei. Our group was impressed by the quality of the growing process: on every shelf the mushrooms were pinning evenly. Considering the simple constructions, very high quality mushrooms were produced.

JUNCAO Technology turns grass into mushrooms

In 1983, professor Lin Zhanxi of FujianAgriculturalUniversity recognized the rapid decline of forests in China as wood logs were much in demand for shiitake and other exotic mushrooms. He started to work with wild grasses, bagasse, rice and corn straw as basic materials for the mushroom substrate. In 1987 he decided to name the technique JUNCAO: ‘Jun’ from fungi, and ‘Cao’ being the Chinese word for grass(-es). Now, 21 years later, the technique has led to a comprehensive growing system for more than 40 types of mushrooms, using some 33 kinds of leguminous plants as basic substrate material. The grasses are dried after harvest, grinded and stored until used. For each mushroom, specific substrate recipes have been developed. E.g. a patented process has been developed to use protein of fermentative bacteria instead of the commonly used wheat bran. Heat treatments and substrate containers also vary between species.

This systematic set of technique has spread to at least 50 countries and helped to alleviate poverty while making sustainable use of resources which are readily available. The JUNCAO Institute now employs over 200 people, of which 30 at the University Campus of Fujian Agricultural University and the remaining on bases all over the world.

One of its daughters is the Green Valley Institute of Biopharmaceutical Technology. In 2003, it managed to get the first official medicine approved, based on the spores of Ganoderma.