Which edible mushroom varieties are suitable for cultivation in autumn and winter?

In autumn and winter, as mid-to-late rice, corn, cotton and sugarcane are harvested, not only is space and labor freed up for developing edible mushrooms, but waste materials such as straw, cottonseed hulls, bagasse, corn cobs and mixed wood shavings are also good raw materials for cultivating edible mushrooms. Therefore, autumn and winter are among the best periods for developing edible mushrooms.

The button mushroom, commonly known as the mushroom, can be cultivated in open fields using mid-to-late rice paddies. Wheat straw, corn stalks, rice straw and thatch leaves can be used as raw materials; from composting to fruiting takes about 50 days, with an effective planting area of 400 sq m per 667 sq m, and each sq m can produce 5 kg to 7.5 kg of mushrooms. Generally, per 667 sq m, 12 tonnes of rice straw or pig and cattle manure, 400 kg of rapeseed cake, 160 kg of urea, 480 kg of ammonium bicarbonate, 200 kg of gypsum powder specially for edible mushrooms, 200 kg of superphosphate, 4 kg of biosynthetic enzymes and 200 kg of lime are needed, plus 480 bottles of spawn. After the compost is fermented, around late October, mushroom beds are prepared at a width of 1.3 m, the culture material is spread out, and then sowing is carried out. After sowing, cover with a layer of dry fine loess 5 cm to 6 cm thick, and on top of that cover with straw curtains normally and plastic film on heavy rainy days.

The king oyster mushroom is cultivated and fruits from early November to mid-December, using a greenhouse or indoor cultivation. Per 667 sq m, 12,000 fungus bags are arranged, and each bag produces 250 g to 300 g of first-grade mushrooms. Plastic bags measuring 47 cm x 40 cm x 0.05 cm are used, each bag holding about 600 g of dry material, with moderate tightness, and a ring fitted over the bag opening. Sterilize at normal pressure, heating over a strong fire to 100°C and maintaining for about 12 hours, without stopping the fire or lowering the temperature midway. After sterilization is completed, move the cultivation bags into a cooling room to cool. Inoculate after cooling. After inoculation, strengthen the management of conditions such as temperature, humidity, light and oxygen.

The oyster mushroom and the willow mushroom are new varieties among the currently rare edible mushrooms. Generally, indoor or greenhouse cultivation is used; per 667 sq m, 12,000 cultivation bags can be arranged, and per 667 sq m, 8,000 kg to 10,000 kg of high-quality grade mushrooms can be produced. The cultivation season is generally arranged from September to October, fruiting begins in November, and the fruiting period can be extended to April of the following year. Mix raw materials such as 90% cottonseed hulls, 8% wheat bran (or cornmeal), 1% sucrose and 1% gypsum powder evenly, adjust with water to a suitable humidity, and then fill into bags. Choose polyethylene bags of 17 cm x 33 cm x 0.05 cm or 20 cm x 35 cm x 0.05 cm. The filling height is about 20 cm, then tie and seal. Then carry out sterilization at 100°C for 14 hours to 16 hours. After sterilization, move the plastic bags while hot into the inoculation room, and inoculate when the temperature drops to 30°C. After inoculation, place in a 24°C to 26°C greenhouse for culturing, and in about 30 days the mycelium will fill the bags. At the same time, strengthen management after fruiting.