Detailed Explanation of Key Points of the Aerated Composting Technique for Straw Mushroom Culture Material

Under suitable temperature conditions, the production cycle of straw mushroom is about 20 days. From sowing to harvesting the first flush of mushrooms takes about 10 days, and the yield is mainly concentrated in the first flush. In our province, it can be cultivated from May to September every year. Based on this production characteristic of straw mushroom, the author, in the work of promoting straw mushroom cultivation in rural areas, summarized a new composting method - the aerated composting method, and achieved very good results.

Straw mushroom can be cultivated using rice straw plus some supplementary materials or solely cottonseed hulls. Before building the pile, sun-dry the rice straw or cottonseed hulls for 1 day, then soak them thoroughly in lime water at pH 11-12, scoop them out and drain slightly. When building the pile, on the ground according to the predetermined length and width of the pile shape (the length depends on the amount of culture material, the width is 1.2 m, the height is 1 m), build a support frame with bamboo or wooden poles. The support frame should be 10-15 cm above the ground, and the density of the support frame should be such that the material does not leak through. On the support frame, erect a bamboo pole with a diameter of 5-8 cm and a height of 1.2 m every 50 cm, then stack layer by layer with one layer of rice straw and one layer of supplementary material. During this process, depending on the pH value of the culture material, sprinkle lime water on the straw material to adjust it, adjusting to pH 9-10 and moisture content of 75%-80% as appropriate.

After the culture material pile is built, pull out the erected bamboo poles and cover the pile with plastic film. The covering method is: cover the surroundings of the pile tightly, prop up the film on the top surface of the pile with bamboo or wood so that there is a gap of about 20 cm between the top of the pile and the film, forming a ridge shape; set ventilation openings at the top of the film, and do not seal the gap between the support frame and the ground with plastic film, so as to facilitate aerated fermentation. When the pile temperature reaches 60-65°C, maintain it for 24 hours (about 3-4 days after building the pile), then turn the pile. When turning the pile, rebuild the pile according to the original method, and swap the material on the surface around the pile with the material in the center of the pile. Use lime water to adjust the pH value of the culture material to 7.5-8 and the moisture content to 65%-70% (it is appropriate that when the material is squeezed tightly by hand, water seeps out between the fingers but does not drip down). After turning the pile, spray 500-fold diluted dichlorvos solution on the surface of the pile and the surface of the film to kill insects. After 36 hours, the material can be moved into the house while hot for sowing.

The aerated composting method is simple to operate and easy to promote in rural areas. Compared with the conventional composting method, it has the characteristics of faster temperature rise, higher pile temperature, more uniform fermentation, less anaerobic fermentation, and more effective killing of weeds such as Coprinus comatus and other contaminating fungi. The culture material composted by this method has a strong material aroma and less sour odor, and generally can increase fresh mushroom yield by 10%.