The latest cultivation techniques and methods tutorial for button mushrooms

The button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) is one of the common edible mushroom species, with thick flesh and white, firm mushroom tissue. It originated in Europe and North America, and we began cultivating it artificially in the 17th century; today it is widely cultivated around the world. So how should button mushrooms be grown? Let's take a look at the detailed introduction below.

1. Fermentation of the compost

For every 100 sq m, 2000 kg of rice straw, 1500 kg of livestock manure, 15 kg of urea, 20 kg of soybean cake, 50 kg of superphosphate, 50 kg of gypsum powder and 30 kg of lime can be used as the compost. Next, the compost fermentation work must be done well. Choose an area with ample water and convenient drainage and irrigation, close to the mushroom shed. Before building the pile, pre-wet the rice straw for 3-5 days so that it absorbs water fully and softens, then build the pile. The size of the pile depends on the actual situation. Lay a layer of rice straw at the bottom, then sprinkle in lime, superphosphate, urea, etc., one layer of straw and one layer of manure, until seven layers are piled up. When building the pile, the 1st to 3rd layers do not need watering; after that, each completed layer must be watered once, with less watering on the lower layers and more on the upper layers. After the pile is built, turn it promptly to let it ferment. Each time, turn the lower material to the upper layer, the material around the sides to the middle, and the middle material to the sides, to promote even fermentation. The first turning is 6 days after building the pile, and afterwards turn the pile once every 2-3 days until fermentation is complete. After completion, disinfect it and move it into the mushroom house.

2. Disinfection of the mushroom house

Button mushrooms do not need light during cultivation. After arranging the mushroom beds for cultivation, clean the mushroom house thoroughly. First spray the floor with dichlorvos, about 1 g per sq m, then spread lime powder on the floor, generally 1-2 g per sq m. After disinfecting the mushroom house, spread the compost on the bed surface, requiring a neat surface and even thickness. When the temperature of the compost is below 25°C, pat it gently flat, with a moderate degree of firmness, and the operators must be disinfected.

3. Sowing

Sowing can use the broadcast, mixed or layered methods. For broadcast sowing, take the spawn out of the spawn bottles, put it into a container and stir it evenly; use one bottle of spawn per sq m. Broadcast sowing is suitable for wheat-grain spawn; simply scatter it evenly on the surface of the compost, and after sowing, scatter a layer of compost and press it flat. After sowing, keep the shed temperature between 22-28°C and the humidity at 60%-70%. Do not ventilate within 2 days after sowing; on the third day, ventilate a little, and after one week the mycelium begins to grow, at which point the ventilation can be increased.

4. Casing soil and disinfection

15-20 days after sowing, when the mycelium has grown to two-thirds of the compost, the casing soil can be applied. The casing soil can be mixed with lime and phosphate fertilizer, then disinfected with dichlorvos before casing. One week after casing, spray continuously for 2-3 days, 1-2 times a day. Note that the soil moisture should be such that it does not stick to the hand; this can promote the rapid formation of fruiting bodies.

The above is an introduction to button mushroom cultivation techniques. We hope it helps you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.