Key Points of Bailing Mushroom Cultivation Techniques and Its Market Price per Jin
The Bailing mushroom (Pleurotus nebrodensis) is one of the ten rare edible fungi with the greatest development potential. In China, wild Bailing mushrooms are only produced in Mulei, Qinghe, Toli, Tacheng, Altay and other areas of Xinjiang, and their output is declining year by year. At present, Bailing mushroom cultivation techniques are already very mature, so what are the key points of Bailing mushroom cultivation techniques? What is the market price per jin?
I. Key Points of Bailing Mushroom Cultivation Techniques
1. Variety selection
At present, the main cultivated varieties of Bailing mushroom are Zhongnong No. 1 and ACCC50869 (606). These two varieties have different characteristics, and the technical methods of cultivation management differ accordingly.
(1) Zhongnong No. 1:
The mushroom quality is soft. In terms of mycelial high-temperature tolerance, at 34-35°C for more than 5 days, or above 35°C, a high-temperature inhibition line will form inside the mushroom bag. In terms of the fruiting cycle, it takes about 110 days from inoculating the cultivation bag to fruiting. The deformity rate is generally 5%-10%, the fruiting temperature is 10-18°C, the fruiting humidity is 85%-95%, and the oxygen demand is high, requiring increased ventilation.
(2) ACCC50869:
The mushroom quality is hard. In terms of temperature tolerance, at 33-34°C for more than 4 days, or above 35°C, a high-temperature inhibition line will form inside the mushroom bag. The fruiting cycle takes about 120 days from inoculating the cultivation bag to fruiting. Deformity is generally 5%-15%, the fruiting temperature is 8-12°C, the fruiting humidity is 80%-90%, and conventional ventilation management is generally sufficient.
2. Cultivation site
The cultivation site requires flat terrain, convenient transportation, sufficient water sources, good drainage, and distance from pollution sources such as poultry and livestock farms, garbage dumps or incineration sites, chemical plants, and paper mills. Production water can use tap water, spring water, lake water, well water, mountain water, etc., and the water quality should meet the standards for drinking water. During the production process, environmental maintenance of the production site should be strengthened, with timely cleaning. In particular, discarded mushroom sticks, contaminated mushroom sticks, and mushroom processing waste should not be randomly discarded around the mushroom shed (room). In addition, raising poultry and livestock animals is prohibited in the production area.
3. Cultivation season
Bailing mushroom is a low-temperature edible fungus. In North China, cultivation bags are generally inoculated in mid-August, the bags are fully colonized in early October, scratching is done in early November, fruiting occurs in early December, and harvesting takes place before New Year's Day. If managed properly, the second flush of fruiting bodies emerges in February of the following year. In the provinces south of the Yangtze River basin in East China, inoculation is suitable from late August to early September. In high-altitude mountainous areas in the south and severe cold regions in the north, it can be appropriately advanced.
4. Cultivation materials and formulas
Bailing mushroom cultivation usually uses cottonseed hulls as the main material. In recent years, the price of cottonseed hulls has risen, and corncobs, cotton stalks, and peanut shells can all replace cottonseed hulls without affecting yield. Wheat bran, corn flour, lime, etc. are auxiliary materials in production. All raw materials are required to be fresh, without mold, and without caking. The recommended formulas are:
(1) Formula 1: cottonseed hulls 62%, sawdust 20%, wheat bran 12%, corn flour 5%, lime powder 1%.
(2) Formula 2: cottonseed hulls 80%, wheat bran 15%, corn flour 4%, lime powder 1%.
(3) Formula 3: sawdust 60%, corncobs 20%, wheat bran 16%, corn flour 3%, lime 1%.
(4) Formula 4: cottonseed hulls 40%, cotton stalks or peanut shells 40%, bran 15%, corn flour 2%, lime 2%, gypsum 1%.
5. Mixing materials, bagging and sterilization
(1) Mixing materials: According to local raw material conditions, choose one of the above formulas for batching, add water and mix thoroughly. The ratio of material (air-dried material) to water is 1:1.2-1.3.
(2) Bagging: After mixing the materials, use plastic bags (specification 17 cm × 38 cm) to fill the material, with 650 grams of raw material (dry weight) per bag. The filling should be uniform and consistent, and must not be loose in some places and tight in others. Loose areas easily cause mycelial breakage, while tight areas have poor permeability, which easily leads to uneven colonization, uneven fruiting, and difficulty in unified management. It is recommended to use a bagging machine for bagging in production, operated by specially assigned personnel, so as to control the degree of tightness. Another advantage of using a bagging machine is higher work efficiency, allowing the operation to be completed in a shorter time so as to enter the sterilization process as soon as possible, preventing the culture material from souring, delaying production, and causing waste.
(3) Sterilization: Sterilization operations are best done professionally and centrally. According to the size of the production base, appropriately configure professional bagging and sterilization production lines of different scales. The equipment required for the sterilization production line includes: material mixers, bagging machines, steam boilers, sterilization containers, as well as shovels, forklifts, tool vehicles, etc. The daily sterilization capacity per batch is 20,000-30,000 bags, and large sterilization sites are generally equipped with 3-5 sterilization cabinets. This sterilization method not only ensures the sterilization effect, but also saves labor and energy, overcoming problems such as simple equipment or inadequate technology in decentralized sterilization.
6. Inoculation
After the mushroom sticks are sterilized and cooled to below 30°C, inoculate as soon as possible. According to the scale of inoculation, an inoculation box or inoculation tent can be chosen for inoculation. Production bases with good basic conditions can use a purified inoculation room for inoculation and be equipped with a suitable inoculation machine. For spawn, stick spawn, wheat grain spawn, cottonseed hull spawn, or liquid spawn can be used.
7. Management during the colonization and post-ripening stages
During the colonization process, the mushroom bags are stacked 4-6 layers high. The optimum temperature is 23-25°C, the relative air humidity is controlled below 70%, ventilation is maintained, and the stacks are turned and inspected every 10-15 days. From mid-August to mid-September, the temperature is relatively high, so attention should be paid to controlling the temperature inside the mushroom shed, trying not to exceed 33°C to prevent burning the mycelium. The colonization period of Bailing mushroom is about 40 days, that is, the bags are fully colonized in early October.
When the Bailing mushroom mycelium has just fully colonized, the bags are soft and the mycelium is sparse, so fruiting cannot begin immediately. Cultivation must continue for 40-50 days until the bags are firm and the mycelium is dense and white before scratching can be done to induce fruiting. This process is called mycelial post-ripening.
8. Fruiting management
(1) Primordium initiation stage: The main work is to promote primordium initiation through scratching and temperature and humidity management. After scratching, cultivate at a constant temperature of 18-20°C for 3-5 days to allow the mycelium to resume growth, then carry out bud induction treatment.
(2) Fruiting body development stage: The main work is to thin the buds and strengthen environmental management to promote the normal growth of young mushrooms.
(3) Fruiting body maturation stage: The temperature of the mushroom house is controlled at 8-12°C, and the relative air humidity is maintained at about 85%, which should not be too humid. Strengthen ventilation and air exchange, maintain scattered light, so that the fruiting bodies are thick and white in color.
(4) Fruiting body harvesting stage: Mature Bailing mushrooms have flat caps, a glossy surface, and a flat swelling or concave center, with clear and extended gills. When overripe, the edge of the cap curls upward. When the cap of the Bailing mushroom is still curled inward, it should be harvested in time.
After harvesting, clean the material surface in time and carry out mycelium recovery management to prepare for the second flush. At a temperature of 12-18°C and humidity of about 60%, after 1 month, bud induction and fruiting management can be carried out.
II. What Is the Market Price of Bailing Mushroom per Jin?
The market price of Bailing mushroom varies from place to place, usually around 8-12 yuan per jin. When the market is good, it can sell for about 25 yuan/jin.
Bailing mushroom is rich in nutrition. Its protein content accounts for 20% of that of oyster mushroom. It contains 17 amino acids, a variety of vitamins and inorganic salts, and also has certain medicinal value, with effects such as reducing food stagnation, killing insects, relieving cough, reducing inflammation, and preventing and treating gynecological vaginal tumors. At the same time, Bailing mushroom contains physiologically active substances such as fungal polysaccharides and vitamins as well as various minerals, and has the effects of regulating the physiological balance of the human body and enhancing human immune function.