The ginseng industry’s reliance on chemicals for fertilizer and pesticides has adversely affected the environment and decreased the quality of ginseng; therefore, microbial inoculum is an effective way to restore the damaged soil in ginseng fields. To investigate the effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and spent mushroom substrate (SMS) on soil and plant quality in ginseng, high throughput sequencing was performed to examine the microbial community structures in ginseng rhizosphere soil. All treatments significantly increased soil nutrient, enzyme activity, and ginseng biomass compared to control (p < 0.05). The combination of PGPR and SMS notably enhanced soil enzyme activities: urease (7.29%), sucrase (29.76%), acid phosphatase (13.24%), and amylase (38.25%) (p < 0.05). All treatments had different effects on ginseng rhizosphere soil microbial diversity. Significantly, the combination treatments enhanced microbial diversity by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium and Plectosphaerella, meanwhile suppressing harmful Klebsiella. The relative abundance of Fusarium was reduced to some extent compared with the application of SMS alone. The soil organic matter, available potassium, available phosphorus, and alkaline nitrogen, as key factors, influenced microbial community structures. Overall, the combination of PGPR and SMS positively impacted the rhizosphere environment and ginseng plant quality.

Larch wood, a prevalent cultivation medium for Ganoderma tsugae, has yet to be scrutinized concerning the differential impacts of sterilized and non-sterilized substrates on the growth and development of this fungus. Our present investigation sought to elucidate these effects in a forest-like environment. After larch wood segments were sun-dried, they were divided into two groups; one group was bagged and autoclaved, while the other group was bagged without any treatment. Subsequently, all segments were inoculated with the G. tsugae strain HLXL1 and ensconced under the canopy of a Pinus koraiensis forest, thereby approximating the conditions of natural growth. Wild G. tsugae was used as the control. Data on agronomic traits, production days, fruiting body yield, and effective constituent content were analyzed. The results indicated no significant differences between sterilized and non-sterilized substrates in terms of agronomic traits. However, the mineral content and bioactive compounds in G. tsugae fruiting bodies significantly differed across various growth stages. The outcomes were optimal for non-sterilized substrates, followed by sterilized substrates, while the wild strains were markedly less effective than the cultivated ones.

In this study, Illumina MiSeq sequencing of 16S and ITS2 rRNA genes were used to determine the dynamic changes in bacterial and fungal communities and soil properties and enzyme activities in rhizosphere soil of ginseng under forest after 5, 1...

Hericium coralloides is a highly valued gourmet and medicinal species with growing market demand across East Asia, though industrial production remains limited by cultivation challenges. This study investigated the molecular characteristics, biological traits, domestication potential, and cultivation protocols of Hericium coralloides strains collected from the Changbaishan Nature Reserve (Jiling, China). Optimal conditions for mycelial growth included mannose as the preferred carbon source, peptone as the nitrogen source, 30 °C incubation temperature, pH 5.5, and magnesium sulfate as the essential inorganic salt. The fruiting bodies had a protein content of 2.43% g/100 g (fresh sample meter). Total amino acids comprised 53.3% of the total amino acid profile, while essential amino acids accounted for 114.11% relative to non-essential amino acids, indicating high nutritional value. Under optimized domestication conditions—70% hardwood chips, 20% cottonseed hulls, 8% bran, 1% malic acid, and 1% gypsum—bags reached full colonization in 28 days, with a 15-day maturation phase and initial fruiting occurring after 12–14 days. The interval between flushes was 10–12 days. The average yield reached 318.65 ± 31.74 g per bag, with a biological conversion rate of 63.73%. These findings demonstrate that Hericium coralloides possesses significant potential for edible and commercial applications. This study provides a robust theoretical foundation and resource reference for its artificial cultivation, supporting its broader industrial and economic utilization.