What are the methods for controlling springtails in edible fungi?
How many ways are there to control springtails in edible fungi.
Springtails are insects of the order Collembola; when densely clustered they look like ash, hence they are also called ash insects. Springtails mostly occur on the compost, often clustering on the surface of the mushroom bed or in dark, damp places, biting the fruiting bodies of the yuan mushroom, causing small holes, and carrying and spreading contaminant microorganisms. These insects reproduce very quickly. The most common include the purple springtail and the black flat springtail; edible fungi damaged by springtails include oyster mushroom, straw mushroom, shaggy ink cap, shiitake, king oyster mushroom, wine-cap stropharia, wood ear, lion's mane, and Agaricus blazei.
I. Morphological characteristics
1. Adult. Shaped like a flea, difficult to see with the naked eye, body length 1.0 mm--1.5 mm, pale gray to grayish purple, with short antennae, soft body, often crawling rapidly on the compost or fruiting bodies, with a furcula at the tail, good at jumping, jumping height can reach 20 cm--30 cm; at the slightest stimulation it leaves by jumping or feigns death and stays motionless. The body surface has a waxy layer and is not afraid of water.
2. Larva. White, similar in shape to the adult, molts after dormancy, silver-gray, gray when in groups, like ash, hence also called ash insect.
3. Egg. White spherical, semi-transparent, often laid inside the edible fungus compost or on the casing soil layer.
II. Living habits
1. Growth and reproduction. The cycle is short and growth and reproduction are fast. Springtails are quite active under warm (20°C--28°C) and humid (relative air humidity 85%) conditions, with the fastest reproduction rate, and can produce 6 generations--7 generations per year.
2. Fond of humid environments. Springtails often gather in the compost or on the surface of the caps to bite the spawned culture or the already germinated mycelium, damaging young mushrooms and causing them to wither and die. They can also burrow into the stipe or cap to feed, and within 1 day--3 days they gnaw mature fruiting bodies full of holes, making them lose commercial value. According to surveys, the small concave holes formed after damage to the stipe of wine-cap stropharia can conceal hundreds of springtails.
3. Wide living range and strong omnivorous nature. Springtails mostly occur in mushroom houses with poor ventilation, an overly humid environment, and extremely poor sanitary conditions. They not only damage various edible fungi in mushroom houses, but are also seen year-round on soil, weeds, dead branches and fallen leaves, and livestock manure. They can float on the water surface and jump freely, and are especially more numerous when continuous rain turns to clear weather.
4. Carrying and spreading diseases and pests, causing cross and repeated infection. The bodies of adult and larval springtails carry large numbers of pathogens and mites. With activities such as egg laying and feeding by springtails, springtail diseases and pests also spread rapidly wherever they go. If conditions are suitable, cross and repeated infection occurs, causing major losses to edible fungus production.
III. Control measures
1. Clean sanitation, eliminate insect sources. ① Thoroughly remove garbage inside and outside the spawn production site and cultivation site, especially avoid standing water, to prevent springtails from breeding. ② Springtails like warmth and humidity but cannot tolerate high temperatures; the compost should preferably use fermented material, bringing the material temperature to 65°C--70°C, which can kill adults and eggs. ③ Mushroom houses and casing soil must be fumigated and disinfected with chemicals before use. ④ Install gauze nets on the doors and windows of mushroom houses.
2. Trapping and killing method. ① Springtails have a habit of liking water; where springtails occur, water can be used to trap and then eliminate them. The specific method is: fill a small basin with clean water, and many springtails will jump into the water; the next day change the water and continue trapping and killing with water; after several consecutive times, the insect population density will be greatly reduced. ② Use 90% trichlorfon diluted 1000 times plus a small amount of honey to make a trapping and killing agent, subpackage it into basins or dishes, and place them separately on the mushroom bed; springtails will jump into the basins when they smell the sweetness. This method is safe and non-toxic, and can also kill other pests.
3. Chemical control. For edible fungus diseases and pests, pesticide control is not advocated; other methods should be used as far as possible, and pesticides should be used sparingly or not at all. Only when the pest damage is severe should it be done as a last resort. The specific methods are: ① When there are no mushrooms on the bed surface, 0.2% dimethoate can be sprayed to kill. ② During the mushroom-producing period, 150-times liquid--200-times liquid pyrethrin can be sprayed. ③ Spray neem preparation: prepare according to the ratio neem bark:water=1:3--1:5, mix evenly and boil for 1.5 hours to make the original liquid; dilute 1-fold when using, and use immediately after preparation. ④ Fumigate with 10 grams of aluminum phosphide per cubic meter.
1. Clean sanitation, eliminate insect sources. ① Thoroughly remove garbage inside and outside the spawn production site and cultivation site, especially avoid standing water, to prevent springtails from breeding. ② Springtails like warmth and humidity but cannot tolerate high temperatures; the compost should preferably use fermented material, bringing the material temperature to 65°C--70°C, which can kill adults and eggs. ③ Mushroom houses and casing soil must be fumigated and disinfected with chemicals before use. ④ Install gauze nets on the doors and windows of mushroom houses.
2. Trapping and killing method. ① Springtails have a habit of liking water; where springtails occur, water can be used to trap and then eliminate them. The specific method is: fill a small basin with clean water, and many springtails will jump into the water; the next day change the water and continue trapping and killing with water; after several consecutive times, the insect population density will be greatly reduced. ② Use 90% trichlorfon diluted 1000 times plus a small amount of honey to make a trapping and killing agent, subpackage it into basins or dishes, and place them separately on the mushroom bed; springtails will jump into the basins when they smell the sweetness. This method is safe and non-toxic, and can also kill other pests.
3. Chemical control. For edible fungus diseases and pests, pesticide control is not advocated; other methods should be used as far as possible, and pesticides should be used sparingly or not at all. Only when the pest damage is severe should it be done as a last resort. The specific methods are: ① When there are no mushrooms on the bed surface, 0.2% dimethoate can be sprayed to kill. ② During the mushroom-producing period, 150-times liquid--200-times liquid pyrethrin can be sprayed. ③ Spray neem preparation: prepare according to the ratio neem bark:water=1:3--1:5, mix evenly and boil for 1.5 hours to make the original liquid; dilute 1-fold when using, and use immediately after preparation. ④ Fumigate with 10 grams of aluminum phosphide per cubic meter.