The researchers studied how different types of plant stalks and amounts of corn powder affect the growth of Ganoderma mushrooms. They found that using certain types of stalks like cotton shell, corn stalk, and others can help cultivate Ganoderma successfully. The best amount of corn powder to use varies depending on the type of stalk, with 6% being optimal for leguminous stalks and cotton shell, and 9% for corn stalks and corn axis.