Detailed Explanation of Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation Methods and Raw Material Selection

SummaryMushroom bag production: bag the materials according to the formula to make mushroom bags. Sterilization: build a steaming pot, high-temperature sterilization, sulfur fumigation disinfection. Inoculation: inoculate in the morning and evening when the bag temperature is 30°C and the room temperature is 25°C. Mycelium cultivation: after 3-4 weeks of mycelium growth, poke holes. Color conversion management: operate in the mycelium cultivation room. Fruiting management: build a greenhouse or warm shed, with a temperature difference of 10°C and humidity of 85% for variable-temperature fruiting stimulation. Harvesting: concentrate on removing the inferior and keeping the superior. Raw materials for cultivating shiitake mushrooms: sawdust types, straw types, wild grass types, etc.

I. Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation Methods

1. Mushroom bag production

(1) Formulas

Formula 1: poplar sawdust 79%, gypsum 1%, wheat bran 20%, carbendazim 0.1%.

Formula 2: corn cob granules 45%, poplar sawdust 40%, gypsum 1%, lime powder 1%, cornmeal 13%, carbendazim 0.1%.

(2) Mixing materials

① After weighing the raw materials according to the above formulas, mix the sawdust, wheat bran and gypsum, and turn them over several times.

② Then add carbendazim and lime to the water, stir evenly, water and mix evenly with a spray bottle, and mix the materials evenly while watering; a water content of about 60% is sufficient.

③ Control the water amount so that no water drips when held in both hands; it can then be used as mixed material.

(3) Bagging

① Use large bags made of low-pressure polyethylene film with a specification of 25×55cm or medium bags of 17-20×55cm, filling them respectively with 2kg and 1.5kg of dry material.

② Seal the bottom of the plastic bag tightly so it does not leak air, fill it with the mixed material, with appropriate tightness.

2. Sterilization

(1) Building a steaming pot

① The finished shiitake mushroom bags need a steaming pot of suitable capacity to be built for sterilization.

② The construction standard is 2m long, 2m wide, and 2.5m high, with a volume of 8-10m³, and an iron pot with a diameter of 1.5m is selected, with both the inside and outside coated once with high-grade cement.

③ Use wooden strips or iron rods to make a rack and place it on the pot, then spread hemp sacks on it, and finally use galvanized sheet to make a 2.1-meter pot lid.

(2) Adding water and loading the pot

Before steaming the material, the water in the pot must be prepared sufficiently, with the water surface about 20cm from the rack. After the bagged material is tied shut, arrange it neatly layer by layer and place it on the rack in batches.

(3) High-temperature sterilization

① After lighting the fire, make the steaming pot rise to 100°C within 4-6 hours for sterilization, continue heating, and maintain a constant temperature for no more than 10 hours.

② Then turn off the fire and let it sit overnight. When the material temperature drops to 70°C, it can be taken out of the pot, and inoculated after cooling.

3. Inoculation

(1) Disinfecting the room

About one week before inoculation, close doors and windows tightly and disinfect the room. It is better to disinfect the tools to be used together, then fumigate with sulfur.

(2) Inoculation time

It is more suitable to carry out inoculation in the morning and evening; inoculation can be done when the material bag temperature drops to 30°C.

(3) Inoculation procedure

During inoculation, the number of people should not be too many; four people are better for the operation. First light an alcohol lamp to punch holes in the spawn, take it out and mix the bags, tie the opening and inoculate the spawn, then seal the opening. Stack the mushroom bags 5 layers high, arranged in a “well” shape.

4. Mycelium cultivation

(1) The indoor temperature is best controlled at 25°C, and dark light should be maintained, which is suitable for mycelium cultivation.

(2) About 3-4 weeks after inoculation and mycelium growth, use a toothpick to poke holes 0.5-1.0cm deep on the inoculation points, about 10-20 holes, once every 10 days. Afterward, larger tools such as sweater needles or chopsticks can be used to poke holes.

5. Color conversion management

Color conversion is usually carried out in the mycelium cultivation room, under controlled room temperature of 20-30°C in a ventilated environment. After taking them out, soak them in limewater, then take out the mushroom logs; the ventilation time should not exceed 30 minutes.

6. Fruiting period management

(1) Mushroom shed construction

① Generally choose a sunny, wind-sheltered place with flat open terrain, dry and not prone to water accumulation, clean and hygienic, and with sufficient water to build a greenhouse or warm shed, such as a courtyard, near a village, an orchard, in front of or behind a house, or an open space among trees.

② Choose a place convenient for moving materials in and out, and note that the mushroom shed built should be covered with shade material to properly block light for the shiitake mushrooms.

(2) Arranging mushroom bags

Arrange the mushroom bags horizontally on the bed frames of each layer, placing one every 4cm, with 42-44 per layer. In addition, build a soaking pool for convenient water replenishment.

(3) Variable-temperature fruiting stimulation

The formation of mushroom buds requires conditions of a day-night temperature difference inside the shed exceeding 10°C and 85% humidity; variable-temperature fruiting stimulation is used to increase yield and benefits.

7. Harvesting

(1) Remove the inferior and keep the superior: shiitake mushrooms grow and develop in concentrated fashion; those with poor growth should be picked promptly to maintain even spacing.

(2) Raising the temperature for shiitake mushrooms in early spring or late autumn can advance or delay the harvest time. In cold winter, the mushroom bags can be piled up and harvested after the temperature rises, and can be sold fresh or made into dried products.

(3) After harvesting, the mycelium enters a recovery stage; once it accumulates a certain amount of nutrients, it will proceed to the next growth period.

II. Raw Materials for Shiitake Mushrooms

1. Sawdust types

Sawdust is the main raw material for shiitake mushroom production, rich in polysaccharides, organic nitrogen, cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, vitamins and inorganic salts, and with few harmful substances; the shiitake mushrooms cultivated are mostly of excellent quality and high yield.

3. Straw types

There are also crop straws and core-shell by-products such as cottonseed hulls, corn cobs, sunflower seed shells, hemp stalks, soybean straw and other leftovers, which are also widely used in shiitake mushroom production. They are rich in nutrients, and some even exceed sawdust in quality.

 3. Wild grass types

① Raw materials of the wild grass type include firefly-back grass, reeds, etc. They are rich in nutrients, green and pollution-free, and can replace sawdust as raw materials for producing shiitake mushrooms.

② 1kg of dry wild grass material yields an average of about 800g of fresh mushrooms. Not only is the cost low, but the yield is also similar to that of sawdust. For harvesting, choose the dry seasons of spring and winter, not the rainy days of summer, as they are prone to spoilage and damage to production value.