Tibetannet

In the current state of receding prairies and reduced cordyceps, it is essential to build a cordyceps protective area for protection and research work, urged Li Yuling on June 22. Li is the director of the Qinghai Pastoral and Veterinary Medicine Institute’s Cordyceps Research Office.

Cordyceps is known as “soft gold,” growing mainly at cold regions above 4,000 meters on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Qinghai Province is the biggest production area for cordyceps, providing more than 60 percent of all Chinese-grown cordyceps.

Data shows that in the 1990s, more than one million tons of cordyceps was excavated from Qinghai Province. Forty-nine-point-six tons (dry) of cordyceps were collected in 2015, 10.66 tons more than 2014. “There are severe infestations of prairie mice, causing receding prairies. The areas which grew cordyceps before are hard to find again.” Said Li.

Research has shown that cordyceps and mushrooms grow in a coordinated way; when the vegetation is not rich, the cordyceps is diffuse as well. “The prairie’s slope angle, slope direction, and the permeation and water-level of the soil also decide where the cordyceps grow. Appropriate digging will not affect the production quantity of cordyceps in their growth regions.” Li Yuling said. 

Zadoi County of Qinghai Province is known as China’s “number one county for cordyceps.” The reporter noticed that when the local shepherds dig for cordyceps, they would use a sickle to dig up the smallest area, once the cordyceps are collected, the grass bed is replanted and pushed down, so as to stop digging from damaging the prairie.

Sonam Jiangcai, associate director of the Prairie Station in Zadoi County said, after years of education, grass bed-replanting after digging is now routine for local shepherds. Years of studying have shown that a replanted prairie will basically not affect future cordyceps growth. According to local Tibetan customs, on the first and 15th of every month, the cordyceps army would stop digging and collect the garbage produced from digging, move them from the digging areas back to the villages for recycling.

Li Yuling also recommends that cordyceps management reference community management. When the climate is beneficial to cordyceps growth, normal digging frequency should be used, but if not, one should cut down the digging times.