Six Key Points of Cultivating Shaggy Ink Cap Mushroom and Detailed Explanation of Pest and Disease Control Measures
The shaggy ink cap mushroom, scientific name Coprinus comatus, is named for its shape resembling a chicken leg and its flesh resembling shredded chicken, though it has no chicken flavor. It is a rare mushroom variety with commercial potential developed through artificial cultivation in recent years, and is hailed as a “rising star among mushrooms”. However, there are many key steps to pay attention to when cultivating shaggy ink cap mushrooms, so do you know the six key points of shaggy ink cap cultivation? What are the pest and disease control measures? How does it differ from the king oyster mushroom?
I. What are the six key points of shaggy ink cap cultivation?
Key Point 1: Casing soil for shaggy ink cap:
Since the shaggy ink cap has the characteristic that its mycelium will not produce mushrooms without contacting soil, casing soil is essential. The casing soil material uses 50% garden soil, 40% river silt soil, 8% plant ash, plus 1%-2% lime powder mixed and stirred evenly, and finally sprayed wet with water. The moisture content is 60%-70%, and the limit should be that it forms a ball when squeezed and crumbles when dropped.
The casing soil thickness is generally 3-5 cm, and the best soil particle size does not exceed 2 cm in diameter. Pile it together and cover tightly with plastic film, make a concave shape on top, place containers with formaldehyde and potassium permanganate for gas sterilization for 48 hours, then spread out the pile to air for 3 days before use. It must not be exposed to rain.
Key Point 2: Growth temperature of shaggy ink cap:
The normal temperature range for shaggy ink cap mycelium growth is 3-35°C, with the optimum being 22-28°C. The mycelium is cold-resistant but not high-temperature-resistant; above 35°C the mycelium undergoes autolysis. The temperature range for fruiting body growth is 9-26°C; below 9°C they easily die, and above 28°C the caps easily open and autolyze. At 16-20°C the fruiting bodies occur in large numbers, grow quickly, and yield is high; above 20°C quality begins to decline. At an air temperature of 20-27°C, the mycelium can grow to the soil surface in about 10 days, at which point the film can be removed.
Key Point 3: Humidity for shaggy ink cap growth:
The normal moisture content of the shaggy ink cap substrate should be maintained at around 65%. During the fruiting body growth and development stage, the relative air humidity should be maintained at 85%-90%. Above 95%, spot disease easily occurs, the base of the fruiting body and the stipe easily become gray-black and rot, and the top of the cap is mostly dark brown. For bag cultivation with sterilized substrate, the relative humidity during the mycelium running stage should be 70%; for bed cultivation with raw substrate, the relative humidity during the mycelium running stage should be 70%-80%. Water can be sprayed into the air or onto walls to maintain humidity.
Key Point 4: Light requirements for shaggy ink cap growth:
Suitable light can promote mycelium growth. When light intensity is below 10 lux, mycelium growth is quite slow, with mushroom emergence delayed by about 7-11 days on average compared to normal conditions. Fruiting bodies also grow very slowly without light stimulation, with harvest delayed by 5-9 days on average, and biological efficiency is also ordinary, at about 100%.
When light is too strong, reaching above 1500 lux, both mycelium and fruiting body growth are slower than below 10 lux. At this point, fruiting body growth is not only slow but also poor in quality, dry, and pale yellow in color, with little commercial value. The ideal light intensity is generally 70-800 lux. Shaggy ink cap mushrooms grown under such light emerge quickly, have high yield, good quality, are not easily infected by contaminating microorganisms during the growth period, and have high commercial value.
Key Point 5: Air requirements for shaggy ink cap growth:
The shaggy ink cap is an aerobic saprophytic fungus, so it requires large amounts of oxygen during its growth process. Suitable oxygen content in the air can significantly improve the growth capacity of shaggy ink cap mycelium. This is because suitable oxygen enhances the mycelium's ability to decompose the culture substrate, and oxygen supply is an important factor in increasing shaggy ink cap yield. Both mycelium growth and fruiting body growth require fresh air, so attention should be paid to proper ventilation and air exchange indoors during both the mycelium running and mushroom emergence stages.
Key Point 6: pH requirements for shaggy ink cap growth:
The mycelium can grow in a medium with pH 2-10, and the casing soil material is best at pH 7-7.5. In production, to prevent the occurrence of competitive contaminating microorganisms, an appropriate amount of lime is added during substrate preparation and composting to raise the pH value.
II. What are the pest and disease control measures for shaggy ink cap?
1. Diseases:
① Diehliomyces microsporus: Also called false “wood ear”, this is a malignant infectious disease that easily occurs in shaggy ink cap cultivation. In the early stage of the disease, dense white cotton-like mycelium mostly appears within the casing layer, followed by fruiting bodies of varying sizes resembling wood ear appearing on the soil surface. When the diseased part of the substrate is dug open, it gives off a strong bleach powder smell, the shaggy ink cap mycelium autolyzes, and the substrate turns black. Control methods: Strictly select spawn; resolutely do not use any spawn found to be defective; the casing soil must be taken from below 20 cm of topsoil and strictly disinfected; use concentrated lime water to irrigate and drench locally, and stop water supply; after the local soil turns white, carefully remove it and bury it deeply far away.
② White plaster mold: This disease is caused by the substrate being too acidic. It generally occurs within 10-15 days after spawning. In the early stage, white patches of varying sizes form on the surface, resembling lime powder. When mature, the patches turn pink, and yellow powdery spore masses can be seen. When the substrate is dug open, there is a strong foul odor, and the shaggy ink cap mycelium dies and rots. Control methods: Add 5% lime powder during substrate fermentation to adjust the pH to 8.5; spray locally with 500 times carbendazim or 5% carbolic acid; strengthen ventilation and reduce the air humidity on the bed surface.
③ Coprinus competitor contaminants: The spores of these contaminants enter the mushroom bed mixed in with the raw materials, and within 5-10 days large numbers of Coprinus mushrooms appear on the bed surface competing with the shaggy ink cap for nutrients. After their fruiting bodies decompose, they exude ink-like spore liquid, and their succession is extremely fast. Control methods: Use fresh, dry rice straw as the substrate and adopt secondary fermentation to kill Coprinus spores; when Coprinus is found, it should be removed promptly before the caps open and buried deeply.
2. Insect pests:
① Mites: There are many varieties of mites, which mainly damage mycelium and fruiting bodies. When pest population density is high, the shaggy ink cap cannot form fruiting bodies. Mites originate from rice straw and poultry/livestock manure, prefer living in dark, damp environments, and multiply extremely quickly. Control methods: Carefully clean up debris at the cultivation site before use, and spray once with dichlorvos; when the fermentation temperature reaches 55°C, spray the surface of the pile with 2000 times propargite; regularly spray the mushroom yard with 1000 times dichlorvos or 2000 times carbosulfan.
② Mushroom flies: Mushroom flies not only damage shaggy ink cap fruiting bodies but are also the main culprits in spreading contaminating microorganisms. Damaged substrate appears bran-like, has a foul odor, and maggots can be seen crawling, with the mycelium being eaten. Control methods: Spray the ground and surroundings with 0.1% derris extract; spray with 1500 times pyrethrin or 3000 times 2.5% cypermethrin; maintain ventilation and cleanliness at the site.
③ Flea beetles: These insects are indicator pests of excessively damp cultivation environments and poor sanitary conditions. They often cluster on the veil at the bottom of the cap and in the substrate. Affected fruiting bodies turn red and exude mucus, losing commercial value. Control methods: Improve the sanitary conditions of the cultivation site and avoid excessive moisture; spray with 0.1% derris extract or pyrethrin.
III. What is the difference between shaggy ink cap and king oyster mushroom?
1. Taxonomic differences between shaggy ink cap and king oyster mushroom
Shaggy ink cap: The shaggy ink cap belongs to the kingdom Fungi, phylum Basidiomycota, subphylum Agaricomycotina, class Agaricomycetes, subclass Agaricomycetidae, order Agaricales, family Agaricaceae.
King oyster mushroom: The king oyster mushroom belongs to the kingdom Fungi, phylum Fungi, subphylum Basidiomycotina, class Basidiomycetes, order Agaricales, family Pleurotaceae, genus Pleurotus.
2. Morphological differences between shaggy ink cap and king oyster mushroom
Shaggy ink cap: The fruiting bodies of the shaggy ink cap grow in clusters. In the mushroom bud stage, the cap is cylindrical, and together with the stipe resembles a turkey leg. Later the cap becomes bell-shaped, 9-15 cm tall, and finally flattens out. The cap surface is smooth initially, then the skin cracks later, becoming flat-lying scales. The flesh is white and thin. The stipe is white, the ring is milky white, and the gills are dense and free from the stipe. Spores are black, smooth, elliptical, with cystidia. The cystidia are colorless, club-shaped, with bluntly rounded tips, slightly curved, and sparse.
King oyster mushroom: The fruiting bodies of the king oyster mushroom are solitary or in clusters. The cap is 2-12 cm wide, initially arched, then gradually flattening, and at maturity the center is shallowly depressed to funnel-shaped. The surface has a silky luster, is smooth, dry, and finely fibrous. When young, the cap margin is inrolled; at maturity it becomes wavy or deeply cleft. The flesh is white, has an almond flavor, and no milky juice is secreted. The gills are decurrent, dense, slightly wide, milky white, with flat edges and sides, and small gills present. The stipe is 2-8 cm to 0.5-3 cm, eccentric or lateral.
3. Distribution differences between shaggy ink cap and king oyster mushroom
Shaggy ink cap: The shaggy ink cap grows in spring, summer, and autumn after rain in fields, forest gardens, roadsides, and even on thatched roofs. It is found worldwide. In China, it is mainly produced in North China, Northeast China, Northwest China, and Southwest China.
King oyster mushroom: The natural distribution of the king oyster mushroom includes Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, the southern former Soviet Union, Morocco, India, Pakistan, and China's Xinjiang and western Sichuan.
4. Differences in effects between shaggy ink cap and king oyster mushroom
Shaggy ink cap: The shaggy ink cap is sweet in taste and neutral in nature, with effects of benefiting the spleen and stomach, clearing the heart and calming the mind, and treating hemorrhoids. Regular consumption helps digestion, increases appetite, and treats hemorrhoids.
King oyster mushroom: The king oyster mushroom is rich in nutrition, abundant in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, and zinc. It can improve human immune function and has effects on the human body such as anti-cancer, lowering blood lipids, moistening the intestines and stomach, and beautifying the skin.