The Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial for Almond Mushroom
Almond mushroom (Agaricus blazei) has been cultivated on a large scale in countries such as Japan, the United States and Brazil. In Japan, cultivation uses the “mushroom house bed method”, in which compost made mainly from rice straw and sugarcane bagasse is covered with a casing layer to form beds, and spawning is done at the bottom of the beds. Mushrooms appear after about 35—40 days, and the fruiting period lasts 3—4 months, with each flush cycle lasting 10 days, producing about 10 kg of fresh mushrooms per square meter. China introduced almond mushroom from Japan in 1992. At present, domestic production of almond mushroom is mainly concentrated in Fujian, where more than 5 kg of fresh mushrooms can be harvested per square meter.
Because almond mushroom has good export prospects and a high exchange rate, it is a new variety with development value. In the coastal plain areas of North China, planting can be chosen from early April to mid-May. Three-dimensional cultivation of almond mushroom in outdoor greenhouses saves labor and materials, requires little investment, gives high yields, is easy to manage, is convenient to operate, has strong heat-retention and moisture-retention capacity, provides good light regulation and ventilation, involves simple processes, and uses a simple cultivation model. The cultivation methods and techniques of almond mushroom are basically similar to those of the button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and can be carried out by reference to them. Its cultivation techniques are introduced as follows:
Cultivation materials
The most suitable cultivation material for almond mushroom is sugarcane bagasse. Rice straw, wheat straw, cottonseed hulls, corn stalks, thatch and sawdust can also be used as raw materials for cultivation. To one or a mixture of the above raw materials, appropriately add some cow manure (horse manure), poultry manure and a small amount of chemical fertilizer.
For the cultivation materials of almond mushroom, refer to the cultivation process for button mushroom, and through stacking, fermentation and turning, prepare a culture substrate suitable for the growth of almond mushroom.
Cultivation season
According to the biological characteristics of almond mushroom, the cultivation season is generally arranged in late spring and early summer and in autumn. Spring cultivation is around Qingming (March—May), and autumn cultivation is after Liqiu (September to November). In low-altitude areas, sowing can be extended to April—May, with mushroom harvesting in June—July.
In short, it is important to ensure that when fruiting begins 40—50 days after sowing, the temperature can reach 20—28°C. Climate conditions vary from place to place, so the sowing period should be flexibly controlled.
Cultivation techniques
Almond mushroom spawn is also divided into three grades: mother spawn, stock spawn and cultivation spawn, and can be produced according to the spawn-making methods for button mushroom. Mother spawn uses PDA medium; stock spawn and cultivation spawn generally use wheat grain medium.
1. Building the pile
Soak rice straw and other straw materials or cottonseed hulls thoroughly in water. After pre-wetting, mix them fully with raw and auxiliary materials such as rice bran, sawdust and livestock and poultry manure to build a pile. The pile is 80—90 cm wide at the top.
2. Turning the pile
The pre-stacking time is about 7 days. When the material temperature rises to about 70—75°C, the first turning should be carried out. During turning, add ammonium sulfate or urea to the culture substrate so that, with the help of microorganisms, it becomes a nitrogen source usable by almond mushroom through fermentation. During the pre-stacking period, fermentation in the middle layer of the pile is better and the material temperature is higher, but the culture substrate around the edges is not fully fermented. When turning, mix thoroughly, move the middle-layer culture substrate to the outer edge, and pile the outer-edge culture substrate into the center of the pile.
After 5 days, carry out the second turning, then turn again at intervals of 4 days, 4 days and 3 days (5 turnings in total, with a fermentation time of 23—25 days). In order to make fermentation uniform inside and outside the pile, when turning, the middle culture substrate should be turned to the outside and the outer culture substrate piled in the middle. After fermentation, the culture substrate becomes brown, and the fibers can be easily broken by pulling with the hand, indicating that fermentation is complete. After pile fermentation, the water content of the culture substrate is about 60 to 75%. If the pH value is too high or too low, it can be adjusted with superphosphate or slaked lime. In order to make a uniform, fully mature, high-quality culture substrate, turning is a very important procedure and must not be careless.
3. Filling and bed preparation
Almond mushroom can be cultivated both indoors and outdoors. For indoor cultivation, 4—6 layers of shelf beds can be set up, or a spacious mushroom house and shelf beds can be used. Spread the fully mature culture substrate evenly and neither too loosely nor too tightly on the mushroom bed, with a thickness of 20 cm as suitable. After the culture substrate is put on the bed, carry out “secondary fermentation”, that is, close the entrances and ventilation openings of the mushroom house, raise the temperature of the mushroom house to 55—60°C, maintain it for about 2 days, and sow when the material temperature drops to 25°C. Outdoor cultivation is carried out under a shade shed, with a bed width of 1.3 m and any length. The shade shed is 2—2.3 m high, and the top and sides are shaded with straw curtains and shade nets (requiring four parts sun and four parts shade). The bed is shaped into a turtle-back form, slightly higher in the middle than at the sides, and drainage ditches are opened well. If cultivated in mountainous areas, flood-control ditches should also be opened. Spray the surface of the bed with chemical pesticides to kill pests. Then spread the fully mature culture substrate onto the bed, generally 20—25 cm thick (calculated by dry material, about 16—20 kg of culture substrate per square meter).
4. Sowing and management
Gently break up the wheat grain spawn, evenly sprinkle 2/3 on the surface of the culture substrate, gently shake with a fork so that the spawn falls into the material, sprinkle 1/3 on the bed surface, and finally cover with about 1 cm of culture substrate to cover the spawn. The sowing rate is 1-2 bottles per square meter.
For outdoor cultivation, after sowing, cover the bed with plastic film to retain heat and moisture. Generally, within 5 days after sowing, there is no need to uncover the film, and no need to spray water. On the 6th day, uncover the film for ventilation. The relative air humidity should be 85 to 90%, and if the material surface is dry, spray water to maintain moisture. Under normal conditions, ventilate once every 2 days.
For indoor cultivation, also pay attention to changes in temperature and humidity in the mushroom house. Do a good job of heat retention and moisture retention, and let more fresh air enter the mushroom house. Do not let the mushroom house feel stuffy and hot every day.
5. Casing
The casing time is after the almond mushroom mycelium is seen to have established itself in the culture substrate. Generally, about 20 days after sowing, when the mycelium has grown to 2/3 of the entire culture substrate, begin casing. The quality of the soil particles covering the culture substrate and the quality of the casing method have a very large impact on the yield of almond mushroom. Therefore, casing is a very important task in cultivation. The soil particles used for casing should not be too hard, and large soil particles that contain no fertilizer, are fresh, and have good water retention and aeration are best. In China, field subsoil is generally used, with a water content of 70 to 75%.
Casing can use the flat-laying method or the “gear” method. That is, first cover the material surface with a layer of soil particles about 1 cm thick, and at intervals of 10 to 15 cm make a soil ridge 10 cm wide and 5 cm high, about 3—4 cm thick. For outdoor cultivation, insert bamboo or wooden strips on both sides of the bed into an arched shape, then cover with plastic film so that it grows in a microclimate. The temperature inside the covered film should preferably not exceed 30°C; if too high, uncover the film to lower the temperature, and the relative humidity should not be lower than 85%.
6. Fruiting management
Whether management during the fruiting period is appropriate or not can cause large increases or decreases in yield. Therefore, careful management is necessary. Almond mushroom mycelium begins fruiting only after it has spread through the culture substrate. Generally, about 40 days after sowing, the mycelium develops thick and strong, and a small amount climbs onto the upper layer. At this time, water should be sprayed on the bed surface, and the relative humidity inside the covered film should be 90 to 95%. After keeping the film covered for 2 days, white rice-grain-like mushroom buds will appear on the soil surface and then grow to the size of soybeans. After 3 days, when the mushroom buds grow to 2—3 cm in diameter, water spraying should be stopped to avoid deforming the mushroom (bud) bodies. This is the key to water management. During fruiting, a large amount of oxygen is consumed and carbon dioxide is released, so during the fruiting period great attention must be paid to ventilation and air exchange. Uncover the film for ventilation 1 to 2 times a day, for no less than 30 minutes each time. After ventilation, continue to cover the film to retain moisture and promote normal growth of the mushroom buds. In rainy weather, the edges of the film can be lifted to ventilate and exchange air, preventing the mushroom buds from rotting.
The best temperature during the fruiting period is 20—25°C. If sowing was done in early spring, the temperature during fruiting may be relatively low; then the film can be tightly covered to retain heat and moisture, and the ventilation time and frequency reduced. When the temperature in early summer exceeds 28°C, thicker shading material can be added to the shade shed, and the film can be opened all day for ventilation and air exchange to create a cooler climate. For indoor cultivation, also pay attention to shading doors and windows, and ventilate in the morning and evening. The fruiting cycle is generally about 10 days. After fruiting ends, the shape of the bed can be repaired, and then water can be sprayed to replenish the moisture of the bed to prepare for the next fruiting. Fruiting can last 3—4 months, and mushrooms can be harvested in successive batches (generally 4—5 batches). For spraying water, well water or spring water should be used.
Pest and disease control
Almond mushroom has the ability to resist competing fungi and is almost not attacked by harmful fungi. However, great attention must be paid to ventilation and air exchange, and the mushroom house and bed surface must not be allowed to become too wet. Harmful fungi are often found before and after casing. When harmful fungi appear, it is best to burn them off with a blowtorch.
Pests of almond mushroom include mushroom flies, mushroom moths and nematodes. If post-fermentation is very complete, almost all pest outbreaks can be prevented. If pests occur, they can be burned off with a blowtorch or, when almond mushroom is not fruiting or has stopped fruiting, fumigated and driven out with aluminum phosphide.
Harvesting and processing
The suitable harvest time for almond mushroom is the bud stage just before the cap leaves the stipe, that is, when the cap is still unopened, the surface is light brown with fibrous scales, and the inner membrane of the gills has not yet ruptured. If the membrane ruptures, the spores on the gills gradually mature, and after drying the gills will turn black, reducing commercial value.
Fresh mushrooms after harvest can be processed by preservation or salting. If dried, it should be according to customer requirements: some are dried whole in a dryer; some are cut in half from cap to stipe and then dried as finished products. The dried product has a fragrant aroma and white gills, and is packaged in transparent plastic bags, with outer packaging using cardboard boxes or according to customer requirements.