Broccoli Plug Tray Seedling Raising Techniques and Edible Mushroom Cultivation Methods

I. Eight Key Technical Points for Plug Tray Substrate Seedling Raising

1. Selecting good seeds: excellent and superior varieties can be selected for planting.

2. Selecting good plug trays: 128-cell black plastic plug trays can be selected for seedling raising.

3. Proper disinfection: First, disinfect the plug trays. The lime water disinfection method can be used: fill a soil pit or cement pool with lime water and soak the plug trays for 1 day; chemical disinfection can also be used, with 0.1% potassium permanganate solution sprayed or soaked for disinfection. Second, disinfect the seeds. Soak seeds in 50% iprodione WP 800x solution; alternatively, use 50% thiram WP at 0.3% of the seed weight for seed dressing. Third, disinfect the substrate. Use 50% thiram WP 700x solution or 75% chlorothalonil WP 600x solution to disinfect the substrate. Fourth, disinfect the vegetable greenhouse. Use 50% thiram 700x plus 0.6% Qingyuanbao 600x for spray disinfection inside the greenhouse.

4. Proper substrate: The substrate formula can be mixed with 0.67 cubic meters of peat, 0.22 cubic meters of vermiculite, 0.13 cubic meters of perlite, 10 kg of Chaoda fertilizer, 5 kg of Kuangyuan brand potassium-magnesium fertilizer, and 3 kg of calcium-magnesium fertilizer. The pH value should be controlled between 6 and 6.5.

5. Proper sowing: First, the sowing rate per mu should be kept between 16 and 18 grams; second, the sowing depth should be 0.5-0.7 cm.

6. Proper seedling management: First, proper temperature. For air temperature control, the germination stage should be 25-30°C, the cotyledon stage 18-20°C, and the true leaf stage 20-22°C. Second, proper light, with moderate light being suitable. Third, proper nutrition. The standards for the four major elements of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micro-fertilizers are medium, small, small, and small. Fourth, proper moisture. For moisture management, the bottom water, germination stage, cotyledon stage, true leaf stage, and hardening stage should be controlled at high, medium, low, medium, and low respectively. Fifth, proper ventilation. For ventilation management during the germination stage, cotyledon stage, true leaf stage, and hardening stage, small, medium, medium, and large are suitable respectively.

7. Proper pest and disease control: To prevent damping-off and Rhizoctonia rot, spray with 72.2% propamocarb AS 500-600x; to prevent black leg disease, spray with 50% iprodione WP 1000-1500x; to control striped flea beetles, spray with 5% fipronil SC 2500-3000x; to control diamondback moths, spray with 2.5% spinosad SC 1500-2000x.

8. Proper seedling lifting and pre-transplant treatment: First, pre-transplant pesticide. The pre-transplant pesticide should be determined according to local pest and disease conditions. In general, 64% oxadixyl WP or 50% thiram WP 700x or 0.6% Qingyuanbao AS 600x can be selected. Second, pre-transplant fertilizer. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate 700x can be used. The above pre-transplant pesticide and fertilizer should be evenly sprayed on the vegetable seedlings 1-3 days before transplanting.

II. Three Major Characteristics of Plug Tray Substrate Seedling Raising

Practice has proven that using plug tray substrate seedling raising has three major characteristics: "three increases," "three decreases," and "three guarantees."

1. "Three increases": According to a winter seedling survey in the local area, compared with conventional seedling raising, plug tray substrate seedling raising achieved "three increases." First, the emergence rate increased by 15%, reaching 95%; second, the seedling survival rate increased by 20%, reaching over 90%; third, the quality of vegetable seedlings was improved. According to the survey, vegetable seedlings reached a plant height of 12 cm, stem diameter of 0.4 cm, plant spread of 8 cm, and hypocotyl of 2.5 cm; the number of true leaves was 2-3, and they were fresh green with no pests or diseases, with intact green cotyledons; the root system was well developed, with milky white root color, abundant root hairs, and a root ball looseness of 3%. At the same time, the plug tray seedlings also had roots tightly intertwined with the substrate, were not prone to falling apart, had strong pull-out strength, were convenient for long-distance transportation, and were suitable for large-scale production.

2. "Three decreases": Compared with conventional seedling raising, plug tray substrate seedling raising achieved "three decreases." First, seed usage decreased by 20%; second, production cost decreased by 5%; third, pest and disease damage decreased by 15%.

3. "Three guarantees": The cultivation of high-quality vegetable seedlings laid a good foundation for ensuring the actual needs of the base's planting plan, ensuring an increased planting success rate, and ensuring high yield, stable yield, and high quality of vegetable products. (Author's unit: 224600 Agricultural Service Center of Liutao Township, Xiangshui County, Jiangsu Province)