Gutian Tea Sawdust Mushroom

Gutian Tea Sawdust Mushroom

　　  The scientific name of the tea sawdust mushroom is *Agrocybe aegerita* (Brig.) Sing. Also known as tea mushroom, poplar mushroom, or tea tree mushroom. It belongs to the Fungal Kingdom, Basidiomycota Phylum, Agaricales Order, Bolbitiaceae Family, and Agrocybe Genus. The fruiting body grows singly or in clusters.

　　     The cap diameter is 5–10 cm, with a smooth surface that starts off dark reddish-brown, then turns brown, and eventually light yellowish-brown. The flesh is white; the gills turn coffee-colored when mature, and the spore print is rust-brown. The stipe is 3–8 cm long and 3–15 mm in diameter, solid and tender. The partial veil is membranous, and after the cap opens, the ring may remain on the upper part of the stipe, adhere to the edge of the cap, or fall off on its own. The tea sawdust mushroom is a delicious edible fungus with a plump cap, crisp stipe, and fragrant aroma. It also has medicinal properties. Its unique flavor and rich nutrition offer anti-aging benefits, help lower cholesterol, remove dampness, promote urination, strengthen the spleen and stomach, nourish yin and boost yang, improve beauty, and have anti-cancer effects. Product testing by the National Food Quality Supervision and Inspection Center shows it contains 17 essential amino acids and trace elements required by the human body. Each 100 grams of dried product contains 860.9 mg of amino acids, 295.9 mg of methionine, and 1844.5 mg of leucine. Each kilogram of dried product contains 262 mg of calcium, 1948 mg of magnesium, and 423 mg of iron, among others.

　　　　    The tea sawdust mushroom has naturally grown in the wild since ancient times. In recent years, it has begun to be cultivated artificially. In 1998, our county introduced artificial cultivation techniques for the tea sawdust mushroom and successfully conducted trial planting. Due to its delicious taste, high quality, and rich nutritional value, it has been well received by consumers, showing broad market prospects. Mushroom farmers have eagerly taken up cultivation, leading to rapid development. In 2001, the county’s tea sawdust mushroom cultivation reached 120 million bags, producing 3,600 tons of dried product annually. It has become another major cultivated mushroom variety in our county, following tremella, shiitake, and bamboo fungus, making our county one of China’s main production areas for tea sawdust mushrooms. The cultivation technology is at the forefront nationwide. The technical achievement “Development of High-Yield and High-Quality Cultivation Techniques for Tea Sawdust Mushrooms” won the First Prize of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Prosperity Plan Project.