Detailed Guide to Enoki Mushroom Cultivation Technology: Growing Methods and Management Key Points
Whether the cultivation and management techniques for enoki mushrooms are appropriate determines whether the yield and quality of enoki mushrooms are good or bad:
????1. Change from wide-bag cultivation to narrow-bag cultivation
Many people believe that using 25 cm x 50 cm plastic bags for cultivating enoki mushrooms is better. But in reality, wide bags are more susceptible to contamination by foreign bacteria, and when there are few mushroom buds, the fruiting bodies tend to bend, affecting product quality and failing to meet the requirements of small caps, long stems, light color, and tender plumpness. Therefore, 17 cm x 33 cm plastic bags are still preferable.
????2. Change from high-pressure sterilization to extended atmospheric-pressure sterilization
Enoki mushrooms grow faster on culture material rich in vitamin B1 and vitamin B2, and produce fewer arthrospores. However, vitamin B1 is not heat-resistant and easily decomposes when the temperature reaches above 120°C, so the culture material should be sterilized at atmospheric pressure. To ensure the spawn is not contaminated by foreign bacteria, the sterilization time can be extended from 10-12 hours to 13-18 hours.
????3. Change from traditional vertical fruiting to horizontal fruiting from both ends
After filling with material, inoculate both ends of the plastic bag and leave about 15 cm of plastic film at each end, fill lightly and press lightly, then tie the bag opening tightly and place horizontally in about 4 layers for mycelium running. This method not only ensures fruiting quality but also saves mushroom house space, increasing yield per square meter of mushroom house by more than 70%.
????4. Change from one-time bag opening to controlled bag opening
When conducting sealed bag-opening cultivation with both ends tied shut, due to the low oxygen concentration inside the bag, if following conventional methods one should wait until the mycelium matures and produces yellow spheres before opening the bag, which would inevitably affect its growth. Therefore, one should constantly monitor the mycelium growth inside the bag, and once the mycelium grows slowly, open the bag promptly. But at this time, do not fully spread open the bag opening; instead, slowly open it as appropriate, and wait until the mushroom stems grow to about 8 cm before fully spreading open the bag opening, to ensure the temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration needed by the mushroom bodies during the fruiting process. During this process, prevent the mushroom bodies from being compressed and growing bent.
????5. Change from letting mushroom stems elongate freely to red weak-light induction
Enoki mushroom fruiting bodies have strong phototropism, so after the bags have finished running mycelium and are placed on shelves, a 15-watt red light bulb can be hung directly above the center between two rows of walls at intervals of about 4 m. The vertical light produced by the bulbs can induce the mycelium to grow horizontally in bundles toward the light direction. However, at this time, doors and windows should be shaded to prevent the mushroom bodies from growing irregularly, lodging, and bending.
????6. Change from random nutrient addition during the fruiting period to scientific application
Many mushroom farmers apply growth regulators and other nutrients during the fruiting period to promote mushroom body growth, but often due to improper methods, the effect is not obvious or even inhibits mushroom body growth.
Practice has proven that spraying a 0.5% triacontanol solution during the fruiting period can increase yield by more than 17%, but special attention should be paid to the concentration used. After harvesting two flushes of mushrooms, injecting manure water diluted 500-1000 times into the bags can increase yield by 15%-20%.