Autumn Mushroom Production Techniques and Introduction Guidelines

Each season has its own characteristics, and blindly applying the same methods will inevitably lead to unsatisfactory results. This is the basic concept behind adjusting techniques according to the season. Taking autumn production as an example, the key technical points are briefly explained as follows:

1. Substrate fermentation: pay attention to uniform fermentation. Apart from varieties such as button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and shaggy ink cap (Coprinus comatus) that must be sown with fermented substrate, oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), small oyster mushroom (Pleurotus cornucopiae) and others are also cultivated this way. Years of practice and research tell us that one of the biggest problems in fermented substrate cultivation is uneven fermentation: inconsistent maturity, inconsistent moisture content, and even anaerobic fermentation and various other abnormal conditions, all of which make it difficult to achieve ideal cultivation results. Therefore, attention should be paid to the principle of turning the pile: uniformity from inside to outside and from top to bottom. Based on fermentation temperature and weather conditions, appropriate water should be added at each turning. For the secondary fermentation of button mushroom, the temperature requirement must be met and the specified duration maintained; otherwise, coprinus mushrooms are highly likely to appear in large numbers, leading to production failure.

2. Temperatures are still high: watch out for pests. In most areas, from March until the end of October, the population base of pests such as mushroom gnats and mushroom flies remains high, with dung flies being especially active. During substrate mixing or fermentation, they are drawn in by the smell, lay eggs near the substrate, so that raw-material cultivation carries eggs into the sowing and fermented-substrate cultivation lets live insects into the bags or onto the beds. Harm then occurs during the spawn-running period, causing "spawn regression" - that is, the mycelium is dense at first, then becomes less and less until it disappears completely. Therefore, before mixing the substrate, first clean up the surrounding environment and spray a pesticide solution once. During substrate mixing or bagging, if mushroom gnats or flies are present, spray pesticide to repel and kill them, and complete sowing as quickly as possible.

3. Humidity is high: watch out for contamination. In autumn production, both the relative air humidity and ground moisture are high. If spawn running is done in a greenhouse, the probability of contamination is quite high when high temperatures occur or ventilation is poor. This is also one of the main reasons why fresh mushrooms are less available on the market in early autumn. The contamination is mainly from common molds such as Trichoderma, Aspergillus and Mucor. In sterilized-substrate cultivation, Neurospora is the "number one killer"; once it spreads, it will cause cultivation failure. Therefore, before the spawn-running shed is put into use, disinfect it strictly. After cleaning it thoroughly, spray pesticide, then remove the straw mats and let the shed sun-dry. Under high temperature conditions, the pesticide fully takes effect. After 2 days, cover with straw mats to lower the temperature, spread a layer of lime powder on the ground, and then the inoculated bags can be moved in to begin the spawn-running period. During spawn running, spray pesticide for prevention. Note that the selected pesticide should be pollution-free and safe for people.

4. Strict control: watch out for removing contaminated items. During spawn running, strictly remove contaminated items. Once contamination occurs, immediately move the contaminated bags out of the shed, treat them with pesticide, and prevent spread.

5. Fast growth: watch out for early harvesting. Autumn temperatures are very suitable for fruiting, and fruiting bodies develop quickly. Because growth is fast, they should be harvested in good time. The principle is to harvest early rather than late; it is better to reduce yield by harvesting early than to let the mushrooms age by harvesting late. Aged mushrooms not only taste poor but also waste a large amount of substrate nutrients. In addition, for varieties such as shaggy ink cap (Coprinus comatus), once harvesting is late, the caps will open and autolyze, losing their commercial value.