Key Technical Points for Cultivating Edible Mushrooms with Rice and Wheat Straw

I. Technical Content

1. Rice and wheat straw treatment: Crush the rice and wheat straw, spray with water and mix until moist, then pile it into a round heap 1-1.8 m in diameter, press it firm, cover with plastic film and ferment for 3-5 days. The fermented rice and wheat straw powder should maintain a moisture content of about 70% and a pH of about 8.

2. Site selection and cultivation: This can be done indoors or outdoors; outdoors, a shed must be built for shade to avoid direct sunlight. Before inoculation, make a wooden mold frame 70 cm x 20 cm x 35 cm. First spread a layer of fermented rice and wheat straw powder in the frame, tread it firm, then sprinkle a ring of edible mushroom spawn and bran around the edges; then spread another layer of straw powder, and again sprinkle spawn and bran. In this way, spread a total of 4 layers of rice and wheat straw powder and sprinkle 3 layers of spawn and bran. The final layer of straw powder should be spread thinner to ensure ventilation. Generally, each culture block uses 5-7.5 kg of rice and wheat straw powder, 0.25-0.38 kg of edible mushroom spawn and bran, and finally a layer of plastic film is covered on top.

3. Spawn running culture: During mycelial growth, the requirements for temperature, humidity and ventilation must be met. The temperature should be controlled at about 35°C. In summer, the air temperature rises quickly, and combined with the heat generated by the rice and wheat straw powder, this can easily cause the culture block temperature to rise above 40°C; at this time, the film should be uncovered to cool it down. The moisture content of the culture block should be controlled at 70%; generally no water spraying is needed, so as to avoid contamination by competing microorganisms.

4. Post-harvest handling: The fruiting bodies of young mushrooms can be harvested once they have fully grown. Generally, 3-4 flushes of edible mushrooms can be harvested, after which the culture block can be applied back to farmland as a high-quality organic fertilizer.

II. Operational key points. The rice and wheat straw used for substrate preparation should be protected from rain and mildew during piling and storage. Well-fermented rice and wheat straw powder feels elastic when squeezed in the hand and has no musty smell; be careful to keep the temperature between 20-40°C. After mycelium grows on the substrate, pay attention to ventilation. Once the mycelium has fully colonized, ventilate once each in the morning, at noon and in the evening. During the mushroom-producing period, the temperature should be maintained at 25-28°C. Water can be sprayed around the mushroom block to ensure the relative air humidity remains at 85-95%. After young mushrooms emerge, if the mushroom block has low humidity, water at about 25°C can be sprayed; never spray cold water, to prevent too great a temperature difference. Appropriately increase lighting to promote robust growth of the fruiting bodies.

III. Suitable conditions. For cultivating edible mushrooms, indoor and outdoor cultivation is possible in spring, summer and autumn in both northern and southern regions; in winter, it must be carried out indoors on the premise of ensuring temperature.