Which edible mushrooms are suitable for cultivation in summer
Four-spored mushroom The four-spored mushroom, also known as the large fat mushroom, is a medium-temperature edible mushroom. The suitable temperature for the mycelial growth of this variety is 20°C to 34°C, with the optimum at 25°C to 27°C, and the suitable temperature for fruiting body growth and development is 27°C to 29°C; above 30°C or below 26°C is unfavorable for fruiting. According to the suitable temperature range of this variety, the cultivation method of sowing in summer and fruiting in early autumn is the most suitable, as it can both use its high-temperature tolerance to grow mycelium and produce a large amount of fruiting bodies for market during the off-season for edible mushroom sales in early autumn, filling the market gap and improving production efficiency.
The cultivation management of the four-spored mushroom is basically the same as that of the button mushroom. The main raw materials are wheat straw and cattle and pig manure, and both indoor bed-frame cultivation and outdoor greenhouse cultivation are possible. Because its fruiting period is relatively short, generally only 3 to 4 flushes of mushrooms can be harvested, so the bed compost should not be too thick, with about 12 cm being appropriate. Temperature regulation and water management during the fruiting period are crucial and are the top priority for achieving high quality and high yield. As long as the technical measures in each production stage are managed properly, generally 6.5 to 7.5 kg of fresh mushrooms can be produced per sq m, with an income of 50 to 60 yuan, making it a reliable variety for mushroom growers to cleverly increase income by taking advantage of the off-season for edible mushroom sales.
Straw mushroom The straw mushroom is a high-temperature edible mushroom and is quite sensitive to temperature during growth and development. In order for the straw mushroom to spawn normally and fruit after sowing, cultivation should be carried out when the daily average temperature is stable above 23°C. Generally, cultivation from early to mid-June to late August is favorable for mycelial growth and fruiting body development. Straw mushrooms can be cultivated both indoors and outdoors, but outdoor cultivation is more advantageous. For outdoor cultivation, farmland with fertile, loose, well-aerated soil and convenient drainage and irrigation should be selected, and the previous crop should preferably be rapeseed or watermelon. Before cultivation, weeds should be cleared and beds made with surrounding ditches to ensure drainage during waterlogging and irrigation during drought.
No matter which raw material is chosen for cultivating straw mushrooms, the raw materials should be sun-dried for 2 to 3 days before production to ensure they are dry and free of mold. Newly harvested rice straw must be thoroughly dried, otherwise the material easily rots. Before sowing, first pre-wet and mix the material with 5% lime water so that the pH value is above 12, then build a pile for fermentation for 4 to 5 days, and the moisture content of the compost substrate should preferably be kept at 65% to 70%.
In production, the selection of spawn is crucial. Choosing high-quality, high-yield spawn can significantly increase the yield and quality of straw mushrooms, and straw mushroom V23 and V238 are relatively ideal. Appropriately increasing the sowing rate can accelerate mycelial growth and inhibit the occurrence of contaminating microorganisms.
Practice has shown that the traditional pile cultivation, bed (border) cultivation, and shelf cultivation of straw mushrooms all find it difficult to achieve high yields, because temperature and humidity are difficult to meet their requirements. However, using the "two-stage cultivation method" of bag cultivation for mycelial growth, then removing the bags and casing soil to fruit in plastic low tunnels or vegetable greenhouses can significantly increase straw mushroom yield.
Straw mushroom cultivation takes place in the high-temperature season, so in management special attention should be paid to handling the interrelationships among temperature, humidity, and so on. Cooling, humidifying, ventilating, and shading should be coordinated with one another to avoid mushroom death caused by improper handling. When casing soil, the mushroom bags should be placed flat, with 5 to 10 cm between bags, and soil should be filled into the gaps, with a surface soil layer 1.5 to 2 cm thick. After casing, water should be applied thoroughly at one time so that the mycelium can fully utilize the moisture in the soil layer. In water management, first, do not supplement water when fruiting bodies are forming; second, do not directly supplement tap water or underground well water, so as to avoid large temperature differences that cause mushrooms to die in batches.
Abalone mushroom The abalone mushroom is a rare medium-high temperature edible mushroom. Its fruiting period falls right in the off-season for edible mushroom sales, and this variety has thick, fleshy texture and is tolerant of transport, with a unique abalone flavor and excellent taste, so its market price is high.
From March to July, using cottonseed hulls, corn cobs, sawdust, wheat straw, and so on as raw materials, and adopting the method of sterilized bag cultivation to cultivate abalone mushrooms, generally 4 to 5 flushes of mushrooms can be harvested, with a biological conversion rate of up to 90%. With 1000 kg of material input, 900 kg of fresh mushrooms can be produced in 3 months, making it a reliable way for mushroom growers to increase income during the off-season for edible mushroom sales.
High-temperature oyster mushroom Oyster mushrooms that can fruit normally at temperatures of 15°C to 36°C are called high-temperature type oyster mushrooms, and the varieties include Gaoping No. 1, Sanxia No. 13, pink oyster mushroom, and delicious red oyster mushroom, among others. After May each year, the supply of fresh mushrooms on the market becomes increasingly scarce, especially from June to August, when apart from a small amount of straw mushrooms and high-temperature mushrooms available on the market, other edible mushroom varieties are rarely seen. This provides a very favorable market space for producers developing high-temperature type oyster mushroom production. Cultivating oyster mushrooms in the high-temperature season has a short production cycle, large market demand, and high selling prices, which can both meet market demand and increase mushroom growers' income.