Fast bud-forcing method for shiitake mushrooms, helping shiitake mushrooms fruit early

For bag-cultivated shiitake mushrooms, using water injection or soaking bags to force buds will make the water content inside the mushroom logs too high, affecting yield, quality and benefits. A fast bud-forcing method is introduced here.

1. Piercing holes: use 4 iron nails 8 cm to 10 cm long, nail them onto a board 1.5 cm thick, 45 cm long and of a suitable width for gripping, and use the prepared "nail row" to pierce 8 holes in the mushroom log.

2. Soaking: place the pierced mushroom logs into a soaking pool or large barrel, preventing the logs from floating up. Afterward, soak the mushroom logs in a 0.3% urea solution.

Mushroom logs that have produced the first flush are soaked in water for 1.5 hours to 2 hours, and logs that have produced the second flush are soaked for 2 hours to 3 hours each time. The suitable water content is 65% to 70% around the pierced holes and 45% to 60% in other parts. Generally, the weighing method is used to determine the amount of soaking water. The weight after the first soaking is 100% to 110% of the weight of the mushroom log at the time of cultivation, and for spring-planted bags it is 90% to 105% of the weight at the time of cultivation. After that, reduce the amount of soaking water by about 15% for each flush.

3. Bud forcing by temperature difference: choose a sunny day with a day-night temperature of 8°C to 20°C to soak the bags and force buds. At night there must be a low temperature below 12°C, and medium-temperature strains need stimulation at a low temperature of 14°C to 16°C. Pierce one hole at one end of the soaked mushroom log, place it with the hole facing downward on sunny, wind-sheltered ground that does not accumulate water, cover tightly with plastic film, and place a thermometer on top of the mushroom logs inside the film. Sunlight raises the temperature, prompting the temperature inside the film to reach 28°C to 32°C; maintain this for 2 hours to 4 hours, then uncover the film for ventilation, and then use the natural low temperature of 12°C at night for stimulation for 4 hours to 6 hours. If the temperature is insufficient, this can be carried out 2 times to 3 times continuously.

4. Fruiting management: mushroom logs that have undergone hole piercing, soaking and temperature-difference stimulation can be left in place, covered tightly with plastic film, and after 2 days to 3 days at 18°C to 24°C a large number of mushroom buds will emerge. From the evening of the 2nd day or the morning of the 3rd day, select the mushroom logs with more mushroom buds and place them on the lowest layer of the fruiting shed. After that, select once every 12 hours to 24 hours and place them into the fruiting shed from bottom to top, completing all of them in 2 days to 3 days.

5. Precautions: ① The water content of mushroom logs forced to bud by the above method should be 35% to 55%. For mushroom logs with a water content below 35%, a small amount of water should be added, and for mushroom logs with a water content above 55%, the soaking time should be appropriately shortened or they should not be soaked. ② If the temperature exceeds 35°C, cooling should be carried out immediately.