How to Grow Oyster Mushrooms? Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial
The scientific name of the oyster mushroom is Pleurotus pulmonarius, a type of oyster mushroom, also known as phoenix-tail mushroom, white oyster mushroom, small oyster mushroom, and jiji mushroom. Taxonomically, it belongs to the phylum Fungi, class Basidiomycetes, order Agaricales, family Pleurotaceae, genus Pleurotus. Because of its pleasing appearance, tender and crisp texture, delicious flavor, and rich nutrition, it has won praise from diners, and its nutritional value is equivalent to that of milk, giving it high cultivation value. Now let us take a look at oyster mushroom cultivation techniques together!
Temperature
The temperature range for the mycelial growth of oyster mushrooms is 10-35°C, and the optimum temperature for growth is 25-27°C. When the temperature is below 10°C, the mycelium basically stops growing; below 20°C, the mycelium grows slowly; above 30°C, the mycelium grows sparsely, its color turns yellow, and it is prone to aging; when the temperature is above 37°C, the mycelium stops growing. The temperature range for fruiting body growth is relatively wide, and mushrooms can be produced under conditions of 10-32°C, which is different from other oyster mushrooms.
Humidity
The basic requirement for the growth of oyster mushroom mycelium is a water content of 65%. From primordium formation to fruiting body maturity, the required relative air humidity is 85-90%. When the relative air humidity is below 70%, few primordia are produced, and the mushrooms are prone to drying out and withering. When the relative humidity is above 95%, the fruiting bodies tend to become soft and rot.
Air
Oyster mushrooms require special ventilation conditions during the mycelial stage, and good ventilation conditions are needed during the fruiting body stage. If the carbon dioxide concentration in the air is higher than 0.1%, deformed mushrooms with small caps and long stipes are very likely to form.
Light
Oyster mushrooms do not require light during the mycelial stage, but they do require light during the fruiting body stage. Scattered light can induce primordium formation and differentiation. Without light, fruiting bodies cannot be produced. The fruiting bodies grow normally under light of 200-2000 lux. Too dim light easily leads to deformed mushrooms, while light that is too strong, especially direct light, easily causes the fruiting bodies to dry out.
pH Value
Oyster mushrooms are suitable for growing in a slightly alkaline environment. Therefore, in production, 3-5% quicklime water is commonly used to adjust the pH value of the culture material, generally adjusting it to 7.2-7.5. This not only promotes mycelial growth, but also inhibits the effects of mold during high summer temperatures.
Nutrition
The growth and development of oyster mushrooms require carbon, nitrogen, and various mineral nutrients. Like other fungi, they do not contain chlorophyll and cannot carry out photosynthesis to produce nutrients on their own; instead, they rely entirely on ready-made organic matter for their livelihood. During their development, the carbon, nitrogen, minerals, and growth factors they need are all obtained from the cultivation material.
Summary: The cultivation conditions for oyster mushrooms are introduced here. Next, let us continue to look at oyster mushroom cultivation techniques. The raw materials for artificial cultivation of oyster mushrooms come from a wide range of sources, and the cultivation process is easy to operate. Sawdust, cottonseed hulls, rice and wheat straw, corn cobs, and other crop stalks can be used for cultivation. Every 100 kg of dry material can produce 80-100 kg of fresh mushrooms. The cycle from cultivation inoculation to the end of mushroom production is 4-5 months, and 2 crops can be grown per year.