New Shiitake Mushroom Ground Cultivation Technology Helps Cultivation in High-Altitude Cold Mountain Areas

Shiitake mushroom is a temperature-variable fruiting fungus; when the day-night temperature difference exceeds 10°C, it grows well, yields high, produces large and thick-fleshed mushrooms of good quality. In high-altitude cold regions, the day-night temperature difference in spring and summer is large, often exceeding 10°C, making it suitable for cultivating shiitake mushrooms, with a per-mu yield of 3000-4000 kg. The ground cultivation technology for shiitake mushrooms in high-altitude cold mountain areas is a new cultivation model following ground cultivation and bag cultivation of shiitake mushrooms, and it is also a good project for mountain people to escape poverty and become prosperous. The main cultivation techniques are introduced as follows:

Cultivation season and temperature

The general sowing period is from April 20 to May 10 each year; according to annual temperature changes, sow as early as possible. It generally ends from late May to mid-June of the following year. Ground-cultivated shiitake mushrooms mainly rely on natural temperature and low humidity for mycelial growth; the spawn used should be medium-to-low temperature varieties, with a fruiting temperature of 10°C-25°C, easy to manage during high summer temperatures, and the yield is also high.

Cultivation material formulas

① Formula one: sawdust 80%, wheat bran 5%, rice bran 10%, cornmeal 3%, urea 0.3%, gypsum 1.5%, potassium dihydrogen phosphate 0.2%;

② Formula two: sawdust 40%, corncob 40%, wheat bran 9%, gypsum 1%, rice chaff 8%, soybean cake powder 2%, 50% wettable carbendazim powder 0.2%.

Generally, sawdust from broadleaf and hard miscellaneous woods is used, with sawdust from oak, birch, and elm being better. The sawdust should be sun-dried, screened, and stored properly in a timely manner, and is required not to become moldy or deteriorate, and not to be contaminated by oil or chemicals.

Site selection and bed making

Choose a place with natural drainage, good ventilation, neither waterlogged nor drought-prone, close to a water source, loose soil, and convenient transportation. Do not choose low-lying waterlogged land, highland yellow clay, or sandy leaky land that does not retain water. Outdoor courtyards or open fields can be used; fruit trees, grape trellises, or under forest are even better. Beds with a north-south orientation are best, bed width 40-60 cm, depth 10-15 cm, length unlimited, with a small ridge made every 10 m, a working path 6 cm wide, and the soil from inside the bed returned onto the working path for later use. Before sowing, disinfect the bed surface with 200 g/sq m of white lime.