Occurrence and Control of Pests and Diseases in Industrialized Mushroom Cultivation

In the late 1990s, China successively introduced industrialized mushroom production lines from Japan and the Taiwan region, which led to rapid advances in mushroom production technology, making it possible to enjoy delicious and nutritious fresh products such as enoki mushrooms (Flammulina filiformis), crab-flavored mushrooms (Hypsizygus marmoreus) and king oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii) even in the hot summer. In the Shanghai area, there are currently 3 large-scale enoki mushroom enterprises in production and 1 crab-flavored mushroom enterprise, with 3 more added by the end of 2005. It is expected that the daily output of enoki mushrooms will reach 50 t, crab-flavored mushrooms 5 t and king oyster mushrooms 1.5 t, making it the largest industrialized mushroom production base in the country.

The occurrence of pests and diseases in industrialized mushroom cultivation can directly lead to declines in yield and quality. However, the use of fungicides and insecticides not only harms human health but also has negative effects on mushroom growth, and the use of pesticides can hardly completely control the occurrence of pests and diseases. This article introduces the occurrence of pests and diseases during industrialized mushroom production as well as the control of the environment and personnel, so as to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of pests and diseases, stabilize yield and improve commercial traits. Occurrence and control of major diseases

The main raw materials for industrialized mushroom production are sawdust, corncobs, rice bran, wheat bran, etc. These raw materials are also very suitable for the growth of molds and bacteria, which grow faster than mushroom mycelium. Especially in a completely enclosed culture and cultivation environment, the optimal temperature and humidity conditions for mushroom growth are created, and such an environment is also favorable for the growth of many harmful microorganisms. Therefore, strengthening hygiene management throughout the entire production process and reducing the occurrence of harmful microorganisms is crucial.

1.1 Hygiene management of operators The main reason for harmful microorganisms infecting the workshop is that operators bring them in during the production process. Harmful microorganisms and miscellaneous bacteria adhering to mites are carried into the production area through clothing. Before entering the operating area, it is essential to change into clean clothes and shoes, disinfect the fingers, and reduce the routes of microbial transmission.

1.2 Hygiene management of the production environment Culture media and mushroom residues are breeding sources of harmful microorganisms. The factory area should be cleaned regularly to remove all culture media and mushroom residues. After each cultivation batch ends, the floor, walls and bed frames should be washed clean and disinfected with ultraviolet light, an ozone generator or fungicides. The air inlet is the main channel through which miscellaneous bacteria spores enter. Environmental hygiene around the factory area should be strengthened; the raw material warehouse, living area, bottle-unloading area and production area should be kept at a certain distance and kept clean and hygienic. In particular, waste material from the bottle-unloading area must be transported out of the factory in a timely manner.

1.3 Raw material mixing Adjust to an appropriate moisture content. If there is too much water in the raw materials, mycelial growth is slow, the possibility of bacterial contamination increases, and it leads to bacterial infection of the material surface at the bottle mouth and the mushroom bodies during primordium induction and fruiting body growth.

1.4 Sterilization and cooling The sterilization effect varies with the model, volume and loading quantity of the sterilization pot. An appropriate sterilization program should be set to thoroughly kill all microorganisms in the culture material. After the high-pressure sterilization pot finishes sterilization and exhaust, the outside air must flow back into the pot; to maintain a balance between internal and external pressure, a high-efficiency air filtration device must be installed at the return port to prevent miscellaneous bacteria from entering the pot body. During the cooling process, the air in the cooling room flows back into the bottles, so the air in the room must be purified and the air flow should be minimized.

1.5 Inoculation Clothing, fingers and inoculation tools must be disinfected. The inoculation room should be kept sufficiently clean, and the inoculation machine should be placed under the laminar flow hood. The spawn used must be strictly selected, requiring strong mycelial vigor and no contamination whatsoever.

1.6 Culture In the early stage of culture, contamination by miscellaneous bacteria is particularly likely. The culture room should be inspected regularly, and contaminated bottles should be picked out promptly. When air flow in the culture room is strong, the spread of miscellaneous bacteria spores also accelerates. Mites and mice are also carriers of miscellaneous bacteria and should be driven out promptly. A high-temperature, high-humidity culture environment is favorable for the reproduction of various miscellaneous bacteria and must be effectively controlled.

1.7 Fruiting body growth Inducing primordia and growing mushrooms requires relatively high humidity, generally above 90%. When kept in a high-humidity environment for a long time, large water droplets accumulate on the culture material surface at the bottle mouth or on the surface of the mushroom bodies, causing massive bacterial reproduction and mushroom rot. Bottles found to have bacterial contamination should be picked out promptly, and temperature and humidity should be effectively controlled to inhibit the reproduction of miscellaneous bacteria.

2 Occurrence and control of insect pests

In industrialized mushroom production, controlling contamination by miscellaneous bacteria is more important than insect pests. However, if insect pests are not discovered and effectively controlled in the early stage, they can also cause devastating losses. Install mesh covers at the air inlet and exhaust outlets to prevent the entry of insects or small animals. Light attracts insects, so indoor light at night should be prevented from leaking outdoors as much as possible. Culture media and mushroom bodies in the factory area should be cleaned up thoroughly, and after harvesting is completed, empty rooms should be disinfected.

The most serious hazard in industrialized production is mite damage. Mites reproduce very quickly on nutrients such as rice bran and wheat bran, and are also abundant in grass clumps and sawdust storage yards around the factory area. Mite occurrence is especially serious on Hypsizygus marmoreus, which has a long culture cycle. Spawn carrying mites is the main cause of mite outbreaks, which can lead to massive contamination, difficulty in color change, poor fruiting uniformity and low yield. When mites are found, they should be isolated as early as possible and treated with acaricides, personnel movement should be controlled, and personal hygiene and clothing cleanliness should be maintained to prevent the spread of mites.