Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for High-Yield Cultivation of the Shaggy Mane Mushroom
The shaggy mane mushroom, scientifically named Coprinus comatus, gets its name because its shape resembles a chicken leg and its flesh resembles shredded chicken. It is delicious in taste, excellent in texture, and rich in nutrients. Artificial cultivation began in Western countries in the 1970s, and China succeeded in artificial cultivation in the 1980s. Because of its short growth cycle, relatively high biological conversion rate, and ease of cultivation, it is particularly suitable for rural cultivation in China. Let us take a look at the cultivation techniques for the shaggy mane mushroom!
Cultivation Season
The shaggy mane mushroom is a straw-rotting, dung-inhabiting, soil-inhabiting fungus with extremely strong adaptability, belonging to the constant-temperature fruiting, medium-temperature type of mushroom. The suitable temperature for mycelial growth is 23-28°C, and the suitable temperature for fruiting body formation is 15-18°C. It can be cultivated in both spring and autumn. For autumn cultivation, spawn is generally prepared from June to August, and mushrooms are produced from late September to early December. For spring cultivation, spawn is generally prepared from November to February of the following year. The spawn requires appropriate warming for mycelial running, and mushrooms are produced from April to June.
Raw Material Formulas ⟧7⟧1. Formula One: corncob 85%, wheat bran 10%, superphosphate 0.5%, gypsum powder 0.5%, urea 0.5%, sucrose 0.5%, lime 3%, material-to-water ratio 1:1.5.
1. Formula 1: corn cobs 85%, wheat bran 10%, superphosphate 0.5%, gypsum powder 0.5%, urea 0.5%, sucrose 0.5%, lime 3%, material-to-water ratio 1:1.5.
2. Formula Two: cottonseed hull 40%, sawdust 45%, wheat bran 10%, superphosphate 0.5%, gypsum powder 0.5%, urea 0.5%, sucrose 0.5%, lime 3%, material-to-water ratio 1:1.5.
3. Formula Three: corncob 70%, manure 15%, wheat bran 10%, superphosphate 0.5%, gypsum powder 0.5%, urea 0.5%, sucrose 0.5%, lime 3%, material-to-water ratio 1:1.5.
Pile Building and Fermentation
1. Site: The pile-building site is best on a concrete surface close to the mushroom house, requiring shelter from wind, exposure to sunlight, a clean water source, and good drainage. Before building the pile, thoroughly disinfect the site and tools, then sun-dry the raw materials for 24 hours. When building the pile, first mix the main materials and auxiliary materials evenly, add sufficient water (moisture content of the culture material 65%-70%) and chemicals, and achieve "three uniformities," namely uniform mixing of main and auxiliary materials, uniform dryness and moisture, and uniform distribution of chemicals in the material, and meet two indicators, namely a moisture content of 65-70% and a pH value of 10.
2. Pile building: When building the pile, pile the material into a heap 1.0-1.5 m wide, 1.0-1.2 m high, and of unlimited length. The sides of the pile should be as steep as possible. In high-temperature seasons, the pile should be made smaller; in low-temperature seasons, it can be made larger. After building the pile, use wooden sticks 5 cm in diameter to insert ventilation holes in the pile, inserting one hole every 33 cm (about 1 chi), with the holes arranged in a staggered triangular pattern to facilitate ventilation and fermentation. After building the pile, spray a highly effective, low-toxicity fungicide and insecticide on the surface of the material, then cover with plastic film to preserve heat and moisture, taking care to prop up the plastic film appropriately.
3. Turning the pile: When the temperature 33 cm from the surface of the material reaches 65-70°C and is maintained for 24 hours, turn the pile. When turning the pile, the material must be loosened to increase the oxygen content in the material, and at the same time the material in the center of the pile should be turned out and the material around the edges turned into the center, so that the culture material ferments evenly. The entire fermentation process takes 6-8 days. In high-temperature seasons, turn the pile once every 1-2 days; in low-temperature seasons, turn it once every 2-3 days. Under normal circumstances, turning 3 times is sufficient.
Cultivation Methods
1. Bed building: For the shaggy mane mushroom, build beds according to the orientation of the mushroom shed, with 0.5 m walkways between them. Dig mushroom beds 80-100 cm wide and 15-20 cm deep in the greenhouse, of unlimited length. Water thoroughly to saturate the bottom, and scatter 150 g of lime powder per square meter of bed surface.
2. Sowing: The layer-sowing method can be used, generally 3 layers of material and 3 layers of spawn, with a material thickness of 15-20 cm and a sowing rate of 15-20%. First spread a 1-layer, 5 cm thick layer of culture material on the mushroom bed, then scatter 1 layer of spawn, and in this way spread a total of 3 layers of material and scatter 3 layers of spawn. After sowing, cover with disinfected plastic film and newspaper for mycelial running management.
3. Mycelial running: Insert a thermometer through the plastic film to a depth of about 10 cm in the material to observe changes in material temperature. Starting from the fourth day after inoculation, lift the covering film once a day to allow ventilation and air exchange. Note that the material temperature at 10 cm must not exceed 25°C, and is best kept below 25°C. When the material temperature is on the high side, strengthen nighttime ventilation in the shed and ventilation under the covering film, or uncover the newspaper and spray an appropriate amount of clean water to cool it down. In about 20 days, the shaggy mane mushroom mycelium can spread throughout the material layer.
Casing Soil Management
1. Material: Soil from the 20 cm surface tillage layer has the advantages of relatively high organic matter content, moderate viscosity, good permeability, and good physical properties, so it can be used as casing soil material. The treatment procedure is: after taking the soil, break it up while sun-drying it, pass it through a 1 cm mesh sieve, then spray a 5% lime water solution, spraying while mixing the soil, and after spraying twice in succession, build it into a pile, cover with film, and pile it to ferment for later use. After 1 week, it can be put onto the bed as casing soil.
2. Timing: After the shaggy mane mushroom mycelium has fully colonized the spawn bag (bed) and gone through a few days of post-ripening, casing soil can be applied. Because the shaggy mane mushroom mycelium has strong anti-aging ability and can be stored for a relatively long time, the timing of removing the bag and applying casing soil can be decided according to cultivation and market demand.
3. Method: When there is a large amount of mycelium on the surface of the material growing upright, remove the film, newspaper, and other coverings, increase ventilation in the mushroom shed to make the mycelium lie down, and after about 2 days evenly apply casing soil to the surface of the material. Usually, first apply a 2 cm thick layer of soil particles 0.5 cm in diameter, and after mycelium appears in the soil layer, apply a 2 cm thick layer of fine soil.
4. Management: After casing, keep the soil moist. Keep the mushroom shed relatively dark with fresh air, an air temperature of 22-26°C, and an air humidity of about 80%. Under these conditions, the mycelium grows into the soil layer. After about 20 days, when a large amount of mycelium grows horizontally on the surface of the casing layer, increase the humidity in the shed to 85-90%, and at the same time increase ventilation, maintaining a mushroom shed temperature of 15-30°C. After about 1 week, a dense layer of young buds appears, and at this point it formally enters the fruiting period management.
Fruiting Management
1. Young buds: The young bud stage of the shaggy mane mushroom is the stage with the strictest requirements for the growing environment during the fruiting period. The most suitable conditions are a temperature of about 20°C, a humidity of about 90%, moderate ventilation, fresh air maintained, and light of 100-300 lux.
2. Young mushrooms: The young mushroom stage of the shaggy mane mushroom can have appropriately relaxed conditions compared with the young bud stage. Maintain a temperature of 15-20°C, a humidity of 85%-95%, light below 300 lux, and ventilation can be appropriately strengthened, but strong wind must not blow into the shed.
3. Mature mushrooms: As the fruiting body continuously develops and grows, its requirements for growing conditions gradually become less demanding. At this time, keep the shed temperature at about 15°C, air humidity at 85-95%, and light at 100-300 lux. Too strong light easily causes the fruiting body to produce scales prematurely and curl back, and also deepens the color of the mushroom body. As the mushroom body develops, ventilation should be strengthened, but likewise strong wind must not blow into the shed.
4. Harvesting: When the mushroom body is firm, the cap has a few scales and tightly wraps the stipe, and the annulus has just begun to loosen, at about seven-tenths maturity, it should be harvested. If not harvested in time, the fruiting body will autolyze and turn black. Do not spray water within 4 hours before harvesting, to avoid discoloration where the mushroom body is pinched by hand. When harvesting, hold the lower part of the stipe and gently twist and pull it up.
5. Processing: Fresh mushrooms after harvesting should be placed head-first into plastic or wooden containers. After cleaning soil and debris from the mushroom base, they become a primary product, and then according to the destination market they are graded, sorted, and sold fresh or processed. After harvesting, clean up debris on the surface of the material, level the holes left by harvesting, spray 2% lime water, then cover with film, and after 5-7 days of mycelium recovery, carry out fruiting management according to conventional methods. Generally, 3-4 flushes of mushrooms can be harvested.