Methods for Identifying Edible Mushroom Diseases and Key Technologies for Pollution-Free Production

I. Improving the Ecological Environment: The cultivation house or shed should be located near a river, with good air circulation and open surroundings, at least 3000 m away from poultry and livestock farms, breweries, residential areas and hospitals; the site should be disinfected by turning the soil, sun-bleaching and flooding instead of using pesticides; the water source must be clean and pollution-free, and it is strictly forbidden to spray mushrooms or soak and wash them with sewage.

II. Promoting Biological Control: Plant mildew inhibitors and plant-based pesticides can be used in preparing the compost, such as the Chinese medicinal herb perilla, the asteraceous plant pyrethrum, ester pesticides, and the woody oil plant rapeseed cake, all of which can be made into plant pesticides to kill insects and control mites. Another approach is to strengthen the mushrooms to suppress pests, starting with strict control at every stage - strain selection, compost formulation, pile fermentation, inoculation and spawn running, and fruiting management - to reduce pests and diseases and to grow robust fruiting bodies with stronger resistance to disease and pests. In addition, rotation and intercropping with specific mushroom species can be adopted; for example, Dictyophora indusiata (bamboo fungus) has a strong fragrance that repels mosquitoes, so alternating rotation of mushrooms and bamboo fungus also helps control pests.

III. Implementing Physical Control: In the inoculation room, spawn-running room and ultra-clean workbench, 30-watt ultraviolet lamps are used for irradiation disinfection and sterilization; electronic ozone sterilizers can also be used for disinfection and sterilization. Black-light lamps are used in the cultivation house to trap and kill mushroom gnats, flies, leafhoppers and other insects. Insect-proof nets and screen windows are installed on the doors and windows of the mushroom house (shed).

IV. Strict and Scientific Use of Pesticides: Adhere to prevention as the priority. When it is determined that chemical pesticides are needed, agents with high efficiency, low toxicity and low residues must be selected, such as trichlorfon, phoxim, propargite, fipronil, thiophanate-methyl and metalaxyl. Application should be carried out before fruiting or after each batch of mushrooms is harvested, with attention to small-scale, localized application to prevent spreading contamination. Spraying pesticides during the fruiting period is strictly forbidden, and it is prohibited to use methamidophos, methyl parathion 1605, 1059, monocrotophos, isocarbophos, chlordimeform, omethoate, toxaphene or any other mercury-based pesticides or other highly toxic, high-residue pesticides during mushroom production.

V. Product Processing Must Meet Standards: Edible mushroom products often exceed the sulfur content limit due to the processing, so precision machinery must be fully promoted for dehydration and drying. Mushroom product packaging must comply with national hygiene standards, namely the hygiene standard for dried edible mushrooms, the hygiene standard for fresh edible mushrooms, and the food packaging hygiene standard.