October Edible Mushroom Cultivation Farming Schedule Guide

(Agricultural Wealth Network) The crisp autumn air of October is a relatively busy period for edible mushroom production. Autumn fruiting is wonderfully varied, winter cultivation spawn production is in full swing, and the spawn running of many varieties is underway. This month, spawn running management should be the focus; those currently fruiting or preparing to fruit should seize the opportunity to manage well and ensure ideal fruiting. Fruiting management Early-autumn oyster mushroom: At this stage, management should emphasize one word: "water." For conventional cultivation, after fruiting the mushroom bags lose water severely, so methods such as soaking or injection should be used to replenish water in order to obtain higher yields. For burst fruiting with biological efficiency above 100%, the mushroom bags can be cleared out and the next batch of oyster mushrooms promptly transferred to fruiting management. For oyster mushrooms spawned in September, growth should be controlled as much as possible to allow further mycelial after-ripening, maximizing nutrient accumulation and laying the foundation for October fruiting. Enoki mushroom: Most enoki mushroom fruiting has entered its final stage, with about 1/3 still fruiting. The greatest difficulty in off-season cultivation of enoki mushrooms in cold storage is water management. According to an August survey, humidity in some enoki mushroom fruiting sites was on the low side, resulting in unsatisfactory yields. There are two main problems: First, humidity measurements are mostly taken at a height of 1.5 m, while the temperature inside cold storage is high at the top and low at the bottom; water is mostly applied by sprinkling the floor, making the upper layers too warm and too dry. Second, current cottonseed hull raw material consists mostly of large hulls and short lint, with a low water absorption rate of about 30%, and poor water retention, causing "inherently insufficient" water inside the mushroom bags. Button mushroom: Button mushrooms spawned in early September produce their first flush in mid-to-late October. Note that after fruiting, the bed should be effectively replenished with water to facilitate the second flush. Wood ear mushrooms: Due to the large temperature difference, whether black wood ear or woolly wood ear, growth slows down; at this time do not spray too much water, so as to extend the growth period and maximize yield. Shiitake: High-temperature shiitake has entered final-stage management; as temperatures drop and temperature differences increase, shiitake quality will improve accordingly. But note that after the last bag soaking in early October, strengthening low-temperature management can produce a batch of high-quality fresh mushrooms; the shed should then be cleared and disinfected, and by the end of October the bags of low-temperature shiitake strains can be moved into the shed. Spawn running management Spawn: Whether secondary or tertiary spawn, note that high humidity is detrimental to spawn, so ventilation management should be strengthened, and dehumidification should be carried out where conditions allow. Strict removal of contaminants is required, especially prevention of devastating contaminants such as Neurospora; once discovered, immediately and slowly cover the contaminated spawn bag with a plastic bag and move it outside the shed for destruction. Shiitake: Spawn running of low-temperature shiitake is mostly complete; at this time closely monitor temperature changes, and following the principle of "lean low, not high," adjust the spawn running temperature; better to extend the spawn running time than to damage the bags due to high temperature. In some areas, shiitake has entered the after-ripening or color-turning stage; try to lower the temperature, and according to mycelial growth, punch holes at the appropriate time and degree, and widen the temperature and humidity differences to facilitate the physiological transformation of the mycelium. Medium-low temperature oyster mushroom: Conventional management is sufficient; note not to stack bags, and strictly prevent spawn overheating. Cover the spawn running shed with insect-proof netting, and spray beta-cypermethrin about once every 3 days to prevent attacks by pests such as mushroom flies. Button mushroom: Some delayed-cultivation button mushrooms can be spawned around mid-October; the management focus is preventing pest and disease attacks. Spray a 300-fold dilution of Baibingsha about once every 5 days to prevent contaminant microorganisms.