Detailed Cultivation Techniques for Tricholoma lobayense (Part 1)

Tricholoma lobayense, also known as the giant tricholoma, the large white tricholoma, or the Lobay tricholoma, is a rare new variety of edible mushroom. It is cultivated on a small scale in southern China and Taiwan, China.

I. Characteristics and Traits

The fruiting bodies of Tricholoma lobayense grow singly or in clusters, with a small cap and a thick, large stalk. The cap is initially hemispherical, white, and smooth, with a diameter of 3-8 cm; the flesh is white and relatively thick; the gills are grayish-white, dense, paired, and of unequal length; the stalk is club-shaped to bulbous, circular in cross-section, firm and meaty, with a length of 5-10 cm and a thickness of 1.5-4.6 cm, and its taste is slightly sweet and fresh-tender. The spores are white and oval. The flesh of Tricholoma lobayense is thick, white, and tender, with a unique taste and a slightly sweet flavor, and is rich in nutrients. Every 100 g of dried mushrooms contains 27.56% crude protein, 7.85% crude fat, 38.44% total sugar, and 8.2% crude fiber, and also contains various amino acids, vitamins, and mineral elements.

II. Cultivation Techniques

Tricholoma lobayense is a high-temperature variety. The mycelial growth temperature is 15-35°C, with 20-28°C being optimal. The fruiting body growth temperature is 15-31°C, with 20-28°C being suitable. Tricholoma lobayense is mainly cultivated by first composting and fermenting rice straw or cottonseed hulls, then using bagged sterilized substrate covered with soil to produce mushrooms. South of the Yangtze River, it can be cultivated in summer and autumn. For spring cultivation, spawning is generally done in March-April, with mushrooms produced in May-June; for autumn cultivation, spawning is done in July-August, with mushrooms produced in September-November.

1. Substrate treatment. The substrate for Tricholoma lobayense can be sourced locally according to different regions, and the substrate is required to be fresh, dry, not moldy, and not rotten. Substrate formulas: ① 100% dry pure rice straw (or pure wheat straw); ② 50% soybean stalks, 50% corn stalks; ③ 50% dry rice straw, 50% rice husks; ④ 60% spent mushroom substrate, 24% cottonseed hulls, 14% wheat bran, 1% lime, 1% gypsum. When preparing, first cut the rice and wheat straw into 3-5 cm lengths, soak them in a water tank for 2 days so that the rice and wheat straw fully absorb water and soften. Then scoop out the softened straw material to make a pile and ferment for 3-4 days, adjusting the moisture content of the substrate to 60%-65% and the pH value to 6.5-7.5. Pay attention to turning the pile: the first turning is on the 2nd day after piling, and the second turning is on the day before bagging.

2. Bagging and inoculation. First put the substrate into large woven bags for atmospheric pressure sterilization. When the stove temperature rises to 100°C, maintain it for 4 hours, then, without adding fire, maintain it for 24 hours, then unload. When the substrate temperature drops to 28°C, carry out bagging and inoculation. Put the treated substrate into 24 cm × 40 cm polypropylene plastic bags, inoculating while bagging, with each bag inoculated in 2 layers: the 1st layer at 1/3 from the bottom of the bag, and the 2nd layer at 2/3 from the bottom of the bag. For each layer, select 3 points near the bag wall, and inoculate one spawn block at each point, with the spawn block diameter about 2 cm (each bag of spawn inoculates 12 bags). The bagged substrate should be tight at both ends and loose in the middle, and tight around the sides and loose in the center. After inoculation, tie the bag opening tightly and use a bamboo needle to poke a small hole at each inoculation site of each bag to facilitate ventilation.

3. Mycelial culture. Move the inoculated culture bags into a clean, dry, ventilated culture room to culture the mycelia. Arrange the culture bags in a crisscross stack pattern, stacking 3-4 layers, with ventilation channels left between each row. After the spawn germinates and the mycelia grow to the 2/3 position, the bag opening can be loosened for ventilation and oxygen supply. During the mycelial growth period, turn and rearrange the bags once a week. Generally, after 25-35 days, the mycelia grow throughout the culture bag. Keep the relative humidity of the culture room at 65% and the temperature at 25-28°C. (To be continued)