Benefits and Cultivation Techniques of Interplanting Oyster Mushrooms in Pear Orchards

After the pear trees are harvested, the pear orchard has a fairly long idle period. Using the empty rows between the pear trees to grow a season of oyster mushrooms can yield good economic, ecological and social benefits. A seedbed of about 10 sq m can produce more than 100 kg of oyster mushrooms, with an income of more than 200 yuan, requiring little input and giving quick returns; it can also increase fertilizer sources, improve the soil, build up soil fertility and raise the phosphorus and potassium content; at the same time it can kill off winter weeds; and it is beneficial for the pear trees' second autumn root growth.

To successfully interplant oyster mushrooms in a pear orchard, the following points of cultivation technique should be mastered.

1. Choosing the bed site

First, the mushroom bed should be chosen in a pear orchard relatively close to a village;

Second, the bed should face south with its back to the north;

Third, the soil should be fairly good, with convenient drainage and irrigation;

Fourth, it should be near the outskirts of a town, with smooth transport.

2. Carefully preparing the bed The mushroom bed is 8-10 m long and 1.2 m wide. The bed soil is plowed 15-20 cm deep and must be carefully worked so that the soil is loose and the weeds are clean, the top loose and the bottom firm, forming a ball when squeezed in the hand and breaking apart when dropped to the ground. A ridge 4-5 cm high should be made around the bed surface to conserve moisture. After the mushroom bed is prepared, drainage ditches should be dug around it to filter off water.

3. Raw material formula Generally, for a bed of 10 sq m, 100 kg of raw materials for growing oyster mushrooms are needed, of which 93 kg is cottonseed hulls, 2 kg gypsum powder, 3 kg quicklime and 2 kg superphosphate. Also add 100 g carbendazim and 20 ml Huimanfeng active liquid fertilizer, mix with 130-140 kg of water, and blend thoroughly with the raw materials, then pile them up and cover with plastic film for 5-7 days. To make the mixture uniform, turn and mix the pile 2 times; when the material has cooled to about 20°C, it is ready for spawning.

4. Even spawning The spawn should be chosen according to the sowing date, using either the normal-temperature type or the low-temperature-tolerant type. The spawn should have white, dense and robust mycelium, with no yellow water, and the mycelium must fill it both top and bottom, inside and out; also make sure there is no foreign mold and no mushroom buds. For sowing in September, choose normal-temperature-type spawn. For sowing in October, choose low-temperature-tolerant-type spawn. Every 100 kg of raw materials requires 10-12 kg of spawn. Before spawning, the bed should be watered to soak the soil thoroughly. When spawning, sow in three layers at intervals, either by broadcasting or by hole sowing. The lower layer is sown a little more sparingly, while the upper layer is sown more heavily, so as to help the mycelium quickly cover the surface of the material and inhibit contamination by foreign mold. After spawning, pat the bed surface firm, then cover with film, and cover the film surface with rice straw.

5. Management and harvesting Ten days after spawning, uncover the two ends of the bed film to check for foreign mold infection, and also give a little ventilation. After 20-25 days, if the temperature inside the film exceeds 28°C, uncover the film for ventilation. After the mycelium has spread fully, arch the film with bamboo hoops, and pay attention to conserving moisture and promoting the formation of mushroom buds. The mushroom buds can be harvested after growing for 5-7 days. After the first mushrooms are harvested, clean the mushroom bed at once, stop watering for 2-3 days, then cover with film again to promote the growth of the second flush. After the second flush is harvested, spray a mixed solution of 500-fold Huimanfeng active liquid fertilizer and 0.5% urea to supplement nutrients and promote early and abundant mushroom production.