Detailed Explanation of Key Points for Integrated Pest Management of Edible Fungi

I. Eliminating pests starts from the source. Before the growing season each year, thoroughly clean the mushroom yard and eliminate pest breeding grounds. The cleaning scope includes mushroom houses and courtyards. All spent mushroom bags, straw pile garbage, compost and all organic waste from the previous year should be centrally burned or transported away, and weeds and peat soil should be removed. In the evening, spray with 15 ml of 80% dichlorvos and 5 ml of 1.8% abamectin mixed with 40 kg of water. After an interval of 1 week, apply once more, and after another week, whitewash the mushroom house with bleaching powder and lime slurry, and spread dry lime powder throughout the courtyard.

II. For farms, factories and institutions that cultivate edible fungi year-round, a three-room setup for inoculation, incubation and fruiting should be implemented, with strict division of labor according to their respective functions. Using one room for multiple purposes is strictly prohibited. The inoculation room and incubation room should be far from the fruiting house, and rooms facing south with good ventilation and dryness should be selected. The best orientation for buildings is east-west, with windows on both the east and west sides and no obstructions in front of the windows, allowing full sunlight exposure. Tools used for inoculation, such as hooks, baskets and bamboo trays, should also be dedicated exclusively to that purpose to avoid carrying pests and causing transmission.

III. Vigorously focus on prevention. After edible fungi cultivation bags are sterilized at high temperature and inoculated, they are moved into the incubation room for mycelium incubation, during which they are susceptible to pests.

Control methods: Screen doors and windows should be installed on the incubation room to reduce pest intrusion. One week before the fungus bags are moved into the incubation room, use 2 ml of 3% mobilan and 1 ml of 1.8% abamectin to prepare a 2000-fold solution, spray it focusing on the corners of the walls, and close the doors and windows and burn sulfur for fumigation. During the mycelium incubation period, close the doors and windows every 3 days and fumigate with mosquito-repellent tablets. If pests invade the fungus bags, place medicated balls to kill them. The method is: roll cotton into balls the size of broad beans, soak the cotton balls in 40.7% chlorpyrifos emulsifiable concentrate, then open both ends of the pest-affected fungus bag, place one medicated ball in each end, and restore the bag opening.

IV. Close monitoring and targeted treatment. During the fruiting process, because the aroma released by edible fungi easily attracts pests, on the basis of maintaining mushroom house cleanliness and timely harvesting, close monitoring should be carried out with early targeted treatment to prevent spread. Commonly used formula: 5 ml of 1.8% abamectin and 10 ml of 3% mobilan or 10 ml of 10% anlubao.

Application method: spray or soak the bags. For spraying, mix with 60 kg of water; for soaking bags, mix with 120 kg of water. When spraying, all mushroom bodies should be picked clean before spraying. For soaking bags, place the pest-affected fungus bags into the prepared solution, let the bags absorb enough water, then scoop them out and stand them upright. After excess water drains out, place them on the fruiting racks for fruiting management.