What causes dead mushrooms in straw mushroom cultivation? The latest analysis is here

The straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) is an important tropical and subtropical mushroom and is currently the third most cultivated edible fungus in the world, while China's straw mushroom output ranks first in the world, with a great many people growing it. However, during cultivation, the phenomenon of dead straw mushrooms can occur, seriously harming yields and affecting growers' income, so what are the causes of dead straw mushrooms? Let's find out together.

1. The cultivation environment is too acidic

The straw mushroom is different from other fungi: it prefers an alkaline environment. When the substrate is too acidic, that is, when the pH value is below 6.5, it will struggle to grow and is easily contaminated by weed molds, leading to dead mushrooms. So when mixing the substrate, be sure to add an appropriate amount of lime to adjust the pH so that it is alkaline, and after each harvest, also spray a lime solution once.

2. Sudden temperature changes

The straw mushroom is a constant-temperature fruiting type of edible fungus. Its mycelium grows best at temperatures between 30-39 degrees, stops growing below 15 degrees or above 42 degrees, while the fruiting bodies grow best at 28-33 degrees, and below 20 degrees or above 45 degrees will cause them to wither and die. So pay attention to temperature changes: when temperatures are low, take measures such as double-layer plastic covering to keep warm, and when temperatures are high, pay attention to measures such as spraying water and building shade structures to cool down.

3. Unsuitable humidity

Moisture is an important factor affecting the growth of straw mushrooms. When moisture is insufficient, its mycelium grows extremely slowly and the fruiting bodies dry up and die; but when there is too much moisture, it leads to poor ventilation of the mushroom bed, causing the mushrooms to die or rot. So humidity must be well controlled: generally, the water content of the substrate is best at around 70%, during mycelial growth the relative air humidity is best maintained at 80%, and during the fruiting body formation stage the air humidity is best maintained at 90%.

4. Poor ventilation

The straw mushroom is a high-temperature aerobic fungus. Many mushroom growers, in order to raise the temperature of the mushroom shed, extend the covering time, which leads to excessive accumulation of carbon dioxide in the shed, causing the straw mushrooms to suffocate to death. However, the ventilation rate should not be too large either, as it causes water to dissipate quickly, which is also unfavorable to the growth and development of straw mushrooms. So 3-4 days after sowing, ventilate for about 30 minutes each day at around 10 a.m., and gradually extend the ventilation time as the mycelium grows.

The above is an introduction to the causes of dead straw mushrooms. We hope it helps you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.