Pest control methods in edible mushroom production
Edible mushrooms do not strictly require humid conditions during the mycelium growth stage, but when fruiting bodies or ear-like fruiting bodies are forming, the relative humidity in the environment needs to be above 85%, and suitable temperature, ventilation and light are also required. Pest control during edible mushroom production (mushroom flies, mushroom midges, springtails, mites, nematodes, etc.) is a headache for mushroom growers. Here are several clever methods for controlling edible mushroom pests, for the reference of mushroom growers.
1. Use fermentation or sterilized substrate cultivation as much as possible to control the pest population in the culture area; the cultivation beds for button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) should use fermented substrate. When mixing the substrate, add 0.5% salt, 3% lime, 50-80% plant ash, etc., which has a good repellent and preventive effect.
2. Before the mushroom bags or substrate are brought into the shed, empty-shed disinfection should be carried out: spray and fumigate with 0.3% dichlorvos and 0.1% deltamethrin; or fumigate with aluminum phosphide at 10 grams per cubic meter, seal the mushroom house (shed), fumigate for 48 hours at around 20°C, and fumigate for 24 hours at above 25°C. The insecticidal effect can reach 95-100% (Note: aluminum phosphide is highly toxic, pay attention to safety when using it). It mainly controls mushroom nematodes, mushroom flies, mushroom midges and mites, etc.
3. When pests occur on the surface of bed-cultivated substrate, spray a 1-2% washing powder solution, which has a very strong contact-killing effect on mushroom flies, adult mites, and old and young mites.
4. Taking advantage of the habit of some pests preferring to move around in light-transmitting, cool and shady environments, spray liquids such as miehailing onto light-transmitting plastic film, cover it on the bed, 1-2 times a day, continuously spraying 3-4 times, which can kill adult flying insects.
5. Install several 15-watt light bulbs or black light lamps in the pest-infested mushroom house, place a basin of water below, and drip kerosene into the water. This is extremely effective for trapping and killing adults such as mushroom mosquitoes, fungus gnats, and dark-bellied fruit flies.
6. Sugar-vinegar liquid trapping: mix sugar, vinegar, baijiu, dichlorvos, and water in a ratio of 2:3:4:1:90 to make a medicinal solution, soak gauze or cotton balls in the solution, wring them dry, and place them on the substrate surface. When pests smell the sweet and sour odor, they crawl onto the medicated cloth or cotton and are poisoned to death.
7. Mix foods that pests like to eat with poison, such as mixing vinegar, sugar, insecticide, and roasted yellow bran in a ratio of 1:5:10:84, and scatter it around the mushroom bed and on the substrate surface for them to feed on; for pests such as mushroom flies, mushroom mosquitoes, and nematodes, you can also evenly scatter a layer of plant ash and pyrethrum (1 gram per square meter) on the substrate surface for 2-3 consecutive days. The effect is very good, and it can both control pests and prevent diseases.