Detailed Explanation of Rice Field Cultivation Techniques for Agaricus bisporus (1)

Rice field cultivation of Agaricus bisporus is a planting method in which rice straw and other materials are used as the main raw materials, composted and fermented to make a growing substrate, and the temperature and light resources of autumn, winter and spring and the idle season are utilized to cultivate Agaricus bisporus in the open field in rice fields after the rice harvest. In 2005, our county used no-till cultivation in single-season rice fields in 12 townships (towns) to grow 300,000 sq m of Agaricus bisporus. As of April 15, 2006, the output value per sq m was 18.8 yuan. It is estimated that the output value per 667 sq m of mushroom field (actual cultivation area of 400 sq m) can reach 8,000 yuan, generating a net profit of more than 5,000 yuan. The main techniques for rice field cultivation of Agaricus bisporus are as follows:

I. Prepare the mushroom field well and choose a good formula

1. Selection of the mushroom field. In general, mid-season rice fields or single-season rice fields with relatively high terrain, fertile soil, convenient drainage and irrigation, proximity to a water source, good transportation conditions, and no Agaricus bisporus cultivation in the past 3 years should be selected as the mushroom field. When harvesting mid-season rice or single-season rice, the rice stubble left must not be higher than 10 cm. After the rice harvest is completed, the mushroom field should have perimeter ditches and waist ditches opened in advance for drainage, ready for use.

2. Selection of mushroom strains. The Agaricus bisporus varieties currently cultivated in our county are mainly "2796" and "Zhenong No. 1". Both belong to the medium-low temperature type, with good quality and high yield.

3. Selection of formula. Choosing a reasonable formula is one of the key factors for high-quality and high-yield cultivation of Agaricus bisporus. Most mushroom growers in our county use the following 2 formulas, and each place can choose according to local conditions (calculated on the basis of an actual Agaricus bisporus cultivation area of 400 sq m per 667 sq m of rice field). Formula 1: 6,000 kg dry rice straw, 400 kg rapeseed cake, 100 kg phosphate fertilizer, 60 kg urea, 200 kg to 250 kg lime, 150 kg gypsum and 150 kg special fertilizer for Agaricus bisporus. Formula 2: 5,000 kg dry rice straw, 2,000 kg dry cow dung, 40 kg urea, 200 kg lime, 150 kg gypsum and 100 kg special fertilizer for Agaricus bisporus.

II. Prepare the raw materials and build piles for fermentation

Reasonably arranging the production season is an important prerequisite for obtaining high yield of Agaricus bisporus. Each place should determine the suitable cultivation time according to climatic conditions, especially temperature conditions. In our county, growing materials such as dry rice straw, dry cow dung and rapeseed cake are generally prepared before mid-August. Cultivating too early means the temperature is too high, and cultivating after the end of September means the temperature is too low; both are unfavorable for high yield of Agaricus bisporus.

1. Selection and preparation of the growing substrate. The growing substrate must be able to satisfy the various nutrients needed throughout the entire growth and development period of Agaricus bisporus. The growing substrate must have 3 elements: first, carbon-containing substances and nitrogen-containing substances must be sufficient (according to experiments, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of the growing substrate is 30:1 before pile fermentation, and after fermentation is completed, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio must reach 17 to 18:1), and the contents of nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium and sulfur must be appropriate; second, the material texture of the growing substrate must be loose and elastic, able to hold relatively more air, so as to meet the needs of mycelial respiration and the decomposition of the growing substrate by aerobic microorganisms; third, it should have the ability to generate heat, so as to promote fermentation of the growing substrate and use high temperature to eliminate pathogens and pests.

Livestock manure is rich in the nutrients needed by Agaricus bisporus and also has a high heat generation capacity, making it a relatively good growing substrate for cultivating Agaricus bisporus. Pig manure has high contents of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but a relatively low organic matter content. When pig manure is used as pile material, mushrooms emerge quickly, but the mushrooms are dense, the fruiting bodies are small, and the quality is relatively poor, with relatively high early yield and relatively low late yield. Cow dung has relatively high contents of organic matter and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and can meet the growth needs of Agaricus bisporus. However, if wet cow dung is used, because wet manure contains much water and has a fine and dense structure, fermentation is relatively slow, the temperature in the pile is relatively low, and mycelial growth is not ideal. If cow dung is dried in the sun and broken up before piling, fermentation is fast, the temperature in the pile is high, and the Agaricus bisporus produced has plump fruiting bodies and good quality, with a relatively long fruiting period. When horse manure is used to cultivate Agaricus bisporus, its yield and quality are about the same as when cow dung is used as the growing substrate. Therefore, pig manure, cow dung and horse manure can all be used as growing substrate, and it is best to mix several kinds of livestock manure for better results. Chicken manure and duck manure are rich in nutrients and heat up quickly with high temperature, but they are strongly alkaline and highly sticky, and can be mixed with livestock manure for piling. (To be continued)