Abstract:[Objective] To study the effects of cultivation substrate using fruit tree branches on Ganoderma lucidum quality characteristics. [Methods] The agronomic traits of strain JINDI G. lucidum cultivated with apple/peach/pear branches were analyzed. In addition, the nutritional composition and the content of polysaccharides and the function improving sleep were measured and evaluated. [Results] The growth rate of G. lucidum mycelia cultivated with three fruit branches was significantly lower than that in the conventional substrate as control (P<0.05), and 7–13 days was prolonged to mycelia grow. And the yield decline of G. lucidum in the fruit branch group, to a certain extent, has been found. There were no significant differences in the contents of nutrients in between each group, while the content of the mineral elements in the G. lucidum cultivated with three fruit branches were much higher than control. The content of polysaccharide of G. lucidum in the fruit branch group was lower compared with control. While all group can effectively prolong the pentobarbital sodium sleeping time of mice, and the pear branches group shorten sleep latency accomplied with 60% of sleep rate. [Conclusion] The yield and content of polysaccharide of G. lucidum cultivated with fruit branches were decreased differently with poor agronomic traits. But the pear branches can effectively improve sleeping. It was feasible to use fruit branches for G. lucidum cultivation after the optimization of substrate formula.