Key Points of Edible Mushroom Cultivation Techniques and Fertilization and Top-Dressing Management

Oyster mushrooms, Phoenix-tail mushrooms and other edible mushrooms are common foods in daily life, with a crisp texture and rich nutrition. They are favored by consumers and have high cultivation value. In order to enhance the after-cropping fruiting potential and improve the yield and benefits of edible mushroom cultivation, fertilization and top-dressing are carried out in the late fruiting stage. However, improper fertilization can easily backfire, so mastering the fertilization and top-dressing techniques for edible mushrooms is very important. The most important thing is to master the "two suitables and two musts." The key technical points for fertilization and top-dressing management of edible mushrooms are introduced as follows.

I. The addition method should be suitable

There are usually 3 methods for adding nutrient solution: spraying, soaking and hole irrigation. The time for spraying nutrient solution is best when fruiting bodies appear in large numbers. When spraying, care should be taken that the nozzle is not pointed directly at the fruiting bodies, and attention should also be paid to the "four no-spray" rules: do not spray on young mushroom buds, to avoid them "swelling to death"; do not spray on places where mushrooms have just been picked or where mushroom remnants remain, to avoid causing bacterial diseases; do not spray when air humidity is too high; do not spray when pests and diseases are severe inside the mushroom shed (house).

The soaking method is mainly used for bag-cultivated edible mushrooms. After harvesting 1-2 flushes of mushrooms, if the cultivation bags are in a state of severe water shortage, they can be soaked in a prepared nutrient solution until they recover to nearly their original weight. When using the soaking method to add nutrient solution, generally the fungus bags are placed into a nutrient solution tank and weighted down with heavy objects, and the soaking time must not be too long. If the fungus bags have lost too much water, they can be soaked several times. The hole irrigation method is mainly used on mushroom beds. This method can be used when the mushroom bed produces many mushrooms and water and nutrients are consumed excessively. The specific method is to punch holes in the mushroom bed at a hole spacing of 10 cm, flood-irrigate the mushroom bed with the prepared nutrient solution, and cover with soil after adding the nutrient solution.

II. The added concentration should be appropriate

When the nutrient solution concentration is too high, not only is it difficult for the mycelium to absorb it, but it will also hinder and even damage the growth of the mycelium; when the concentration is too low, the goal of high yield cannot be achieved. The concentration of the added nutrient solution should be determined according to the water content of the culture material: if the water content of the culture material is relatively high, the concentration of the nutrient solution should be increased, the amount of water used should be reduced, and ventilation should be increased after addition; conversely, the concentration of the nutrient solution should be reduced and the amount of water used should be increased.

III. The nutrients in the nutrient solution should be comprehensive

Several nutrient solutions should be used alternately regularly, so that the nutrients needed for fruiting body growth will be both comprehensive and reasonable. If hormones are used to stimulate the growth of edible mushrooms, this should be done after supplementing the nutrient solution.

IV. Attention should be paid to changes in the environment

When the temperature reaches above 20°C, it is difficult for the mycelium to form high-quality fruiting bodies. Except for high-temperature-type edible mushroom varieties, nutrient solution may not be added. If the culture material has already been contaminated by foreign fungi, the foreign fungi must first be removed before adding nutrient solution. In order to prevent contamination by foreign fungi, a certain amount of bacteriostatic agent can also be added while adding the nutrient solution, to prevent the breeding and spread of foreign fungi.