How to Grow Enoki Mushrooms: Detailed Explanation of Cultivation Methods and Technical Key Points

Whether the cultivation and management techniques for enoki mushrooms are appropriate determines the yield and quality of enoki mushrooms:

1. Change from wide-bag cultivation to narrow-bag cultivation

Many people believe that using 25 cm x 50 cm plastic bags to cultivate enoki mushrooms is best. But in reality, wide bags are prone to contamination by competitor fungi, and when there are few mushroom buds, the fruiting bodies tend to bend, affecting product quality and failing to meet the requirements of small caps, long stems, light color, and plump tenderness. Therefore, 17 cm x 33 cm plastic bags are still better.

2. Change from high-pressure sterilization to extended atmospheric-pressure sterilization

Enoki mushrooms grow faster on culture media rich in vitamin B1 and vitamin B2, and produce fewer aleuriospores. However, vitamin B1 is not heat-resistant and easily decomposes when the temperature reaches above 120°C, so the culture medium should be sterilized at atmospheric pressure. To ensure the spawn is not contaminated by competitor fungi, the sterilization time can be extended from 10-12 hours to 13-18 hours.

3. Change from traditional vertical fruiting to horizontal fruiting from both ends

After filling with substrate, inoculate both ends of the plastic bag and leave about 15 cm of plastic film at each end, fill lightly and press lightly, then tie the bag opening tightly and place horizontally in about 4 layers for mycelial running. This method can both ensure fruiting quality and save mushroom house space, increasing the yield per square meter of mushroom house by more than 70%.

4. Change from opening the bag all at once to controlled bag opening

When conducting closed-end mycelial running culture with both ends tied, due to the low oxygen concentration inside the bag, if the conventional method is followed, one should wait until the mycelium matures and produces yellow spheres before opening the bag, which will inevitably affect its growth. Therefore, one should always pay attention to the mycelial growth inside the bag, and once the mycelium grows slowly, the bag should be opened promptly. But at this time, do not fully spread open the bag opening; it should be slowly opened as appropriate, and only when the mushroom stems grow to about 8 cm should the bag opening be fully spread open, to ensure the temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration needed by the mushroom bodies during the fruiting process. During this process, one should prevent the mushroom bodies from being compressed and growing bent.

5. Change from letting the mushroom stems elongate freely to red weak-light induction

Enoki mushroom fruiting bodies have strong phototropism, so after the fungus bags have finished running mycelium and are placed on shelves, a 15-watt red light bulb can be hung directly above the center of two rows of walls at intervals of about 4 m. The vertical light produced by the bulb can induce the mycelium to grow horizontally toward the light in bundles. But at this time, doors and windows should be shaded to prevent the mushroom bodies from growing randomly, lodging, and bending.

6. Change from random addition of nutrients during the fruiting period to scientific application

Many mushroom farmers apply growth regulators and other nutrients during the fruiting period to promote mushroom body growth, but often the effect is not obvious or even inhibits mushroom body growth because they do not use the right method.

Practice has proved that spraying a 0.5% triacontanol solution during the fruiting period can increase yield by more than 17%, but special attention should be paid to the concentration used. After harvesting two flushes of mushrooms, injecting manure water diluted 500-1000 times into the bags can increase yield by 15%-20%.