Edible Mushroom Pest and Disease Control Methods and the Utilization of Dry Rice Straw as a New Substrate

1. Rice straw treatment: Select dry, mold-free aged rice straw as the substrate for cultivating straw mushrooms. During the suitable cultivation period for straw mushrooms, choose sunny days to sun-dry the rice straw for 2-3 days, then twist it into "8"-shaped bundles weighing 0.5 kg each, and soak them in a 2%-3% lime solution for 5-8 hours. Remove, drain, and pile for fermentation. When the pile temperature rises to 60-70°C, turn the pile. After re-piling, when the core temperature of the pile rises to 60-70°C again, turn it once more. The fermentation period is 5-7 days with 2 turnings, making the rice straw soft. Well-fermented rice straw is soft in texture, breaks easily when pulled, has a fresh fragrance with no sour or foul odor, and turns tea-brown in color.

2. Comparative study of spawn formulas: Through comparative research on 5 different formulas for primary spawn, it was found that the formula with added glucose produced the best mycelial growth. Through comparative research on 4 formulas for secondary and tertiary spawn, the best formula selected was: 9 kg wheat grains, 1 kg decomposed manure, 0.1 kg gypsum powder, 0.01 kg lime powder, an appropriate amount of water, pH 7.5, and after bottling, cover each bottle with 15 g of decomposed livestock manure. Mycelial growth is best with this formula.

3. Laying substrate and sowing: When laying the substrate, leave a 4-5 cm gap every 60 cm for filling with soil. Use about 12 kg of material per square meter, laid in one application. Use wheat grain spawn at about 10% of the dry substrate weight. First sow in holes at a spacing of 5 cm x 5 cm, then broadcast a layer on the surface of the substrate, and finally press flat with a wooden board. After inoculation, when the temperature is above 20°C, check the mycelial growth on the 3rd day. If the substrate temperature inside the film exceeds 28°C, ventilate at night to cool it down. Do not frequently uncover the film for ventilation, as this may cause mold contamination. As long as water flows in the ditch of the bed, high temperatures generally will not occur. If contaminating microorganisms are found, dissolve 50 g of caustic soda in 1 kg of water and inject it with a syringe into the contaminated area and a 1-week perimeter around it, which has a certain control effect. Lime powder can also be used to cover the contaminated area. Press flat, cover with plastic film, and cover with rice straw for mycelial growth.

4. Fruiting management: After sowing, pay attention to temperature changes. Keep the pile temperature below 32°C within 2 weeks to prevent high-temperature damage to the mycelium. Generally, do not uncover the film. Starting from the 2nd week after sowing, ventilate once every 3 days. The method is to lift and shake the plastic film a few times to release excess carbon dioxide gas, then cover it back immediately. By the 4th week after sowing, the mycelium on the substrate surface appears thick and white with a strong mushroom aroma. When yellow water droplets appear on the substrate surface, it indicates the mycelium has fully colonized and is ready for fruiting (requires 25-30 days). At this point, increase temperature differential stimulation and light stimulation. After a few days, a large number of pinheads will appear. When the caps of the mushroom buds grow to 1 cm, spray water into the air daily to maintain a relative humidity of 85%-95%. From pinhead formation to harvest takes 5-7 days. Harvest and sell before the spores are discharged.