A Detailed Guide to the Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods of the Oyster Mushroom
The oyster mushroom (Pleurotus pulmonarius, also known as the Indian oyster or phoenix mushroom) is a very common fungus in our daily lives, and it is also called the small oyster mushroom, the royal oyster mushroom and the little flat mushroom. The oyster mushroom is actually the immature form of the phoenix mushroom; compared with the phoenix mushroom it is somewhat smaller in size, with a crisper and more tender texture and a fresher, more delicious flavor, and compared with the phoenix mushroom each has its own characteristics. The oyster mushroom is called the “finest of mushrooms”, is rich in nutritional value, is full of high-quality fungal protein along with the various amino acids and trace elements the human body needs, and offers good economic returns. Below is a brief introduction to the cultivation techniques for the oyster mushroom.
1. Controlling temperature
The oyster mushroom likes a warm and humid growing environment; its most suitable growing temperature is 25-27 degrees, and the most suitable humidity for the growth and development of the mycelium is 10-35 degrees.
The oyster mushroom is not cold-tolerant: once the temperature drops below 10 degrees, the mycelium stops growing; below 20 degrees, the mycelium keeps growing but grows slowly. The oyster mushroom is also not heat-tolerant: once the temperature rises above 30 degrees, the mycelium grows slowly and begins to yellow and age; once the temperature rises above 37 degrees, the mycelium stops growing until it ages and falls off.
Compared with other types of oyster mushrooms, the oyster mushroom has a wider growing temperature range, and as long as the ambient temperature is kept between 10-30 degrees it can produce mushrooms.
2. Controlling humidity
The water content of the oyster mushroom is around 65%, so during the cultivation of the oyster mushroom the relative air humidity of the growing environment must be kept at 85-90%. Once the relative air humidity rises above 95%, the fruiting bodies of the oyster mushroom easily become soft and rot from excessive moisture; once the relative air humidity falls below 70%, the fruiting bodies easily dry out and wither from excessive dryness.
3. Maintaining ventilation
During the mycelium cultivation stage, the oyster mushroom needs special ventilation and air-exchange conditions; if the carbon dioxide concentration in the air is too high, once it rises above 0.%, it will cause poor development of the fungus body and produce deformed oyster mushrooms with small caps and long stems.
4. Controlling light
The oyster mushroom has different light requirements at different cultivation stages: the mycelium stage needs no light, while once it develops to the fruiting body stage it needs light. The light needed at the fruiting body stage is scattered light; too strong light will cause the fungus body to dry out, while too dim light will be unfavorable to the normal development of the oyster mushroom and lead to the formation of deformed mushrooms.
5. Controlling pH
The oyster mushroom is suited to living in a slightly alkaline environment; generally it is best to keep the pH between 7.2-7.5, and in production quicklime water at a concentration of 3-5% can be used to adjust the pH of the culture material. A slightly alkaline growing environment can promote the growth of the mycelium and can also reduce the mold problems that high summer temperatures may cause.
6. Controlling nutrients
The oyster mushroom does not contain chloroplasts in its fungal body, so it cannot manufacture the nutrients it needs through photosynthesis and must rely entirely on organic nutrients to survive. The culture material for the oyster mushroom can provide nutrition for its growth and development, and contains nitrogen, carbon, auxins and other mineral components.
The above is a brief introduction to the cultivation techniques for the oyster mushroom. Cultivating oyster mushrooms artificially has low costs, a wide range of raw material sources, and is simple and easy to carry out, with the fungus body easy to cultivate and easy to keep alive. You might as well give growing oyster mushrooms a try; it is a planting project with low costs and good returns!