What are the key management points during the Shiitake mushroom mycelium growth stage?
Key management points during the Shiitake mushroom mycelium growth stage
The suitable conditions for Shiitake mushroom mycelium growth are a temperature of 22°C-26°C, air humidity of 60%-65%, good ventilation, and darkness or weak light.
From 1-6 days after inoculation, it is the period of mycelium germination and colonization. Since the mycelium grows weakly, the temperature of the mushroom bags is 1°C-3°C lower than room temperature. To provide suitable temperature for the mycelium, the room temperature should be adjusted to 28°C-29°C. Room temperature, pile temperature, and bag temperature should be measured every day, with bag temperature as the main factor for regulating room temperature and pile temperature. At this time, the mushroom bags should not be moved to prevent contamination by foreign fungi. Do not ventilate or ventilate only slightly within 3 days.
From 7-10 days after inoculation, the mycelium spreads into the substrate, and the bag temperature gradually rises. Keep the room temperature at 25°C-27°C. After 7 days, begin turning the piles, and thereafter turn the piles once every 7-10 days. When turning the piles, inspect each bag for mycelium growth and contamination by foreign fungi. If bags that were missed during inoculation or inoculation holes with no mycelium growth are found, they should be gathered in another place, the mold spots removed, and the affected areas smeared with 5%-10% limewater. The cultivation room should be ventilated 1-2 times per day for about 30 minutes each time.
From 11-20 days after inoculation, the mycelium enters the vigorous growth stage, various metabolic activities accelerate, and the bag temperature is 1°C-5°C higher than room temperature, so special attention must be paid to cooling and ventilation. Keep the room temperature at 20°C-24°C and ventilate for 1-2 hours per day.
At 20 days after inoculation, because the mycelium grows in large amounts, the oxygen inside the bags cannot meet the requirements for mycelium growth, and oxygen deficiency becomes a limiting factor for mycelium growth. The adhesive tape on the inoculation holes should be removed in time, or holes should be pierced to increase oxygen. The first piercing should be done when the mycelium ring diameter is 8-10 cm. Use a sterilized toothpick to pierce 6-10 holes along the front edge of the mycelium ring, and the hole depth must not reach the substrate layer. When the mycelium between inoculation holes connects, use a sterilized sweater needle to perform a second piercing for oxygen supplementation. When the mycelium has fully colonized the bag, use sterilized chopsticks to pierce holes all over the mushroom bag. The number and depth of the holes depend on the temperature and mycelium growth. When the temperature is high, pierce more holes and deeper holes; otherwise, pierce fewer holes and shallower holes. After removing the adhesive tape or piercing holes, the mycelium grows faster, and the bag temperature will rise suddenly. At this time, increase ventilation and spread out the mushroom bags to prevent the pile from overheating. After 30-50 days, the mycelium fully colonizes the bags, and management for color change of the mushroom logs and physiological maturation can begin.
Color change of the mushroom logs is a special physiological process in the development of Shiitake mushroom mycelium and also a sign that the mycelium has matured. Suitable conditions for color change of the mushroom logs: temperature 18°C-24°C, air humidity in the microclimate around the logs 80%-85%, a certain amount of scattered light, and good ventilation conditions. After the mycelium fully colonizes the bags, the shading material should be removed to increase indoor light. Room temperature should be strictly controlled at 20°C-24°C, the temperature difference should not be too large, and the mushroom bags should be moved as little as possible. If large bags are used for cultivation, the time for color change of the mushroom logs and physiological maturation is 25-30 days; if small bags are used for cultivation, the color change time is 10-15 days. During this process, the mycelium gradually lies down and secretes brown pigment, causing the mushroom logs to change from white to brownish red. If the conditions for color change are suitable, the color change of the mushroom logs is uniform, the mycelial film is uniform in thickness, and fruiting is neat, then the yield is high and the quality is good. If the color change is too light or uneven, the fruiting quality is poor and there are many deformed mushrooms. If the color change is too heavy and the mycelial film is too thick, then fruiting is slow and the yield is low.