How to prevent pests and diseases in edible mushrooms? A detailed guide to environmental control methods
How to use environmental control to prevent pests and diseases in edible mushrooms.
Environmental control reduces the occurrence of pests and diseases in edible mushrooms.
1. Lower the substrate temperature: for example, keeping the substrate temperature of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) during spawn running below 21°C can effectively control Diehliomyces microsporus; keeping the spawn-running temperature of enoki mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) below 20°C; keeping oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) bags below 20°C can prevent bag contamination.
2. Strengthen ventilation and air exchange. Ventilation and air exchange is the best way to disinfect the air; never create a stuffy, damp fruiting environment, as no ventilation does a hundred harms and not a single good.
3. Light regulation. Different varieties have different light intensity requirements. For example, button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) should be kept somewhat darker, while white beech mushroom (Pleurotus nebrodensis) needs stronger light.
I. Cut off the transmission routes of pests and diseases
In edible mushroom cultivation, there are three sources of pests and diseases: first, spawn carrying insects and pathogens; second, the growing substrate and casing soil carrying insects and pathogens; third, natural transmission inside and outside the mushroom house (shed). Cutting off these three transmission channels is the top priority of integrated pest and disease control.
II. Environmental control to reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases
1. Lower the substrate temperature: for example, keeping the substrate temperature of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) during spawn running below 21°C can effectively control Diehliomyces microsporus; keeping the spawn-running temperature of enoki mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) below 20°C; keeping oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) bags below 20°C can prevent bag contamination.
2. Strengthen ventilation and air exchange: ventilation and air exchange is the best way to disinfect the air; never create a stuffy, damp fruiting environment, as no ventilation does a hundred harms and not a single good.
3. Light regulation: different varieties have different light intensity requirements. For example, button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) should be kept somewhat darker, while white beech mushroom (Pleurotus nebrodensis) needs stronger light.
III. Agronomic control measures
Different soils have different microbial flora; different ecological environments have different biological communities. Practice shows that soil-shed cultivation is generally good in the first year and poor in the second, because the ecological environment of the soil shed becomes increasingly poor; that is, there are more pathogens, more pests, and the air quality is also worse. For this reason, ecological conditions must be improved, the fruiting environment optimized, and the occurrence of pests and diseases reduced and lowered.
IV. Chemical control measures
Chemical control is generally used for preventive measures, and the use of chemical agents for control is prohibited during the fruiting period, because the tissue structure of the fruiting body readily retains toxic residues, affecting consumption and export. Therefore, the use of chemical agents for control is prohibited during the fruiting period; even if it must be used as a last resort, it can only be sprayed before fruiting, and it is best to use plant-based preparations, bitter alkaloids, and the like. It must be especially noted that highly toxic and high-residue pesticides are absolutely prohibited.