Soil cave cultivation gives good results for edible fungi

Soil cave cultivation is a major innovation of the people of Zibo in producing edible fungi, with the characteristics of making full use of resources, not occupying land, allowing cultivation in all four seasons, warm in winter and cool in summer, constant temperature and moderate humidity. For this reason, Linzi District launched the "New Technology Development Project for Soil Cave Edible Fungus Production" for the first time. A high-efficiency planting model of "soil cave button mushroom - garlic sprouts - shaggy mane" was explored, achieving relatively high social and economic benefits. Generally, the cost of building a soil cave about 50 m long is about 2,000 yuan, while the economic benefit generated by planting three crops is more than 20,000 yuan, showing remarkable economic benefits. The key technical measures are summarized as follows:

I. Crop rotation arrangement. For button mushroom, materials are prepared in early to mid-August, inoculation is carried out in early to mid-September, fruiting begins in mid to late October, and harvesting is completed from late November to early December. After button mushroom harvesting ends, garlic sprouts are planted from mid to late December, using double-layer three-dimensional cultivation, with the first harvest taken after 20-25 d, and 2-3 consecutive harvests possible. In early to mid-March of the following year, one crop of shaggy mane is planted, and harvested in mid to late May.

II. Standard soil cave. The soil cave is required to be 50 m long, 2.5 m wide and 2 m high. The cave must be straight, and a buffer room should be built at the cave entrance, generally 3 m long, 3 m wide and 3 m high, with front and rear doors 1.8 m high and 1.2 m wide, to facilitate easy entry and exit of materials. The vents are vertically aligned from top to bottom, with the lower opening 1-2 m in diameter and the upper opening 60-70 cm in diameter, with a total height of 6.5-7 m, generally 1.5-2 m above the ground. The cave roof is semicircular, and supports can be set up inside the cave for multi-layer cultivation.

III. Key cultivation techniques for button mushroom

1. Ecological and environmental conditions. The temperature is controlled at 14-18°C, the relative air humidity is 85%-90%, the water content of the culture material during the mycelium growth period is 65%-70%, the water content of the casing soil is 18%-20%, and the optimal pH value is 7-7.5. On the basis of ensuring temperature and humidity, the air in the cave must be ventilated at all times.

2. Raw material ratio and treatment. Same as the general cultivation method.

3. Preparation before inoculation. First, disinfect and sterilize the cave well. For every 100 square meters, use 0.5 kg of dichlorvos and 1 kg of formaldehyde, diluted with 3-4 times water, and fumigate on a stove or spray. To ensure personnel safety, feed in materials 24 h after disinfection, spread the fermented material evenly on both sides of the cave, with a material thickness of 20-25 cm, a central walkway 40 cm wide, and press the material flat with wooden boards ready for inoculation.

4. Inoculation method. Layered broadcasting. That is, use 0.5-0.75 kg of spawn per square meter. First spread 2/3 of the spawn evenly on the surface of the material, then use a two-tooth hook to mix the spawn into the material, spread the remaining spawn on the surface, turn it slightly, cover it firmly with material, and finally pat it flat with a wooden board. Under normal conditions, 15-18 d after inoculation, more than 2/3 of the mycelium has colonized the material, and most of the mycelium has approached the bottom of the culture material. At this time, begin casing, generally with a casing thickness of 3-4 cm.

5. Management during the fruiting period and harvesting. For button mushroom grown in soil caves, water management should follow the principle of "spray frequently, spray little; spray more when mushrooms are dense and less when mushrooms are sparse; spray more in the early stage and less in the later stage," and ventilation should be strengthened. Generally, it takes 35-40 d from inoculation to fruiting. When the mushrooms grow to 3-5 cm in diameter, they must be harvested promptly.

IV. Key cultivation techniques for garlic sprouts

1. Preparation before sowing and sowing method. First spray the surface of the material used for growing button mushroom once with a 800-fold solution of 50% carbendazim and 90% trichlorfon for disinfection treatment, then turn the spent mushroom material into the ground as production soil. Leave 40 cm in the middle of the cave as a walkway, set up frames on both sides with bamboo poles, with a frame height of 1 m, and lay fine bamboo poles flat on the frames. Lay plastic film separately on the ground and on the fine bamboo poles, and spread the cultivation soil evenly on the plastic film to a thickness of 10-12 cm. This is the three-dimensional garlic sprout cultivation model explored by mushroom farmers in this area. This kind of planting can make full use of space and brings twice the income of growing garlic sprouts on the ground only. Prepare garlic seed at 12 kg/square meter. After the garlic bulbs are laid out fully, cover with fine sandy soil 3-4 cm, water thoroughly, and do not let water accumulate on the bed surface. Then use fine sandy soil again to fill the gaps so that the garlic bulbs are not exposed.

2. Management and harvest. The temperature in the cave is generally maintained at 13-15°C. After planting, 20-25 d later, when the garlic sprouts grow to about 30 cm, cut the first harvest. When cutting, be careful to cut close to the ground, but do not injure the garlic cloves. Depending on the yield, 2-3 harvests can be taken, and when the yield is high, 3 harvests can be taken. After harvesting is completed, remove the garlic seed and soil together out of the cave, spray an 800-fold carbendazim solution once inside the cave and on the ground soil, to prepare for planting shaggy mane.

V. Key cultivation techniques for shaggy mane

1. Ecological and environmental conditions. The optimum temperature for shaggy mane mycelium growth is 22-28°C, and the optimum temperature for fruiting body growth is 12-18°C. In March, the air temperature is still relatively low, so pay attention to heat preservation. As a bed-cultivated culture material, the humidity can be appropriately increased a little. Shaggy mane is an aerobic fungus, and on the premise of ensuring temperature and humidity, ventilation should be strengthened as much as possible. The pH of the culture material is best adjusted to 7.5-8.

2. Raw material ratio, treatment, fungus bag production and mycelium growth. Same as the general cultivation method.

3. Inoculation method

(1) Prepare the bed. Leave a 40 cm walkway in the middle, with beds 1 m wide on both sides, dig 20 cm deep, and then spray a 800-fold solution of 50% carbendazim for disinfection.

(2) Inoculate fungus bags without casing soil. After removing the bags from the fully grown fungus bags, arrange them horizontally and bury them in the prepared beds, with 3-4 cm spacing between fungus bags, fill the gaps with nutrient soil, then cover with 2-3 cm of nutrient soil. After casing is completed, immediately flood-irrigate the beds with plenty of water.

4. Fruiting management and harvesting. Keep the fruiting temperature controlled at 15-22°C and the humidity controlled at 85%-90%. When the temperature is high, shaggy mane grows fast and must be harvested promptly, otherwise it "self-digests" and loses commercial value. After the first flush of mushrooms is harvested, clean the mushroom bed promptly, remove dead mushrooms and mushroom roots, and replenish the casing soil. After 3-5 d of mycelium recovery, replenish water. After the second flush is harvested, spray a 200-fold solution of mushroom growth enhancer and glucose to increase later yield. Subsequent flushes are managed the same as the second flush, and the ending time is determined according to the air temperature and the growth of shaggy mane.