Detailed Explanation of Tremella Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods

Tremella, also known as white wood ear, snow ear, tremella fruit body and so on, belongs to the fungal family Tremellaceae, genus Tremella, and is the fruiting body of the basidiomycete fungus Tremella fuciformis. It has the reputation of being the "crown of fungi." The fruiting body of tremella is pure white to milky white, 5-10 cm in diameter, soft and white, semi-transparent, and elastic.

Cultivation techniques:

Preparation of the culture medium and bagging

(1) Preparation of the culture medium

Before mixing the culture medium, it should be exposed to the blazing sun for one day, using the ultraviolet rays in sunlight to kill miscellaneous bacteria spores, insect eggs and mites, then sifted to remove impurities and coarse particles, so as to prevent puncturing the ear bags.

Wheat bran in the culture medium formula is a commonly used material for tremella cultivation, usually accounting for 20%-30% of the dry weight of the culture medium. With the development of edible mushroom production, wheat bran resources are also becoming increasingly scarce, and prices are rising. When wheat bran is lacking, fine rice bran can be used as a substitute, but the protein and fat content of fine rice bran are both lower than those of wheat bran, so when using rice bran, 2-3 kg of soybean powder should be added per 50 kg to supplement nutrients.

In production practice, it has been found that adding soybean powder can make the ear pieces white and thick, increasing yield. The commonly used amount accounts for 1%-2% of the dry weight of the culture medium. During mixing, soybeans can be ground into fine powder or soybean milk can be added, with the milk-grinding method giving better results. The method is to soak soybeans in water for 6-8 hours to let them absorb water and soften, then grind them into milk. If the temperature is too high during mixing, the milk-grinding method should not be used.

The sucrose, magnesium sulfate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, etc. in the formula should first be dissolved in a small amount of hot water, mixed into the water used for the culture medium, and then the materials should be mixed.

In the tremella culture medium formula, the pesticide carbendazim must never be used.

The amount of water added during mixing should be determined according to the nature of the culture medium. Generally, for materials with loose texture such as cottonseed hulls, a slightly larger amount is added, but the water content should be controlled at 50%-55%, and should not exceed 60%.

(2) Bagging

For large-scale production of bag-cultivated tremella, atmospheric pressure sterilization is usually adopted, so polyethylene tubular film is suitable as the cultivation container; if high-pressure sterilization is used, Qingyuan Gurong brand polypropylene tubular film is required.

For the specifications of the ear bags, 12 x 55 can be used. When the production batch is relatively large, it is best to use a bagging machine for filling, and generally each machine can fill 400 bags per hour. From mixing to finishing bagging, it is required to complete the process within 5 hours.

Sterilization and inoculation

When using atmospheric pressure sterilization, the volume of the sterilization pot is most suitable if it can hold 1000 bags. At the start of sterilization, the fire should be fierce, so that the temperature rises to 100 degrees C within 4 hours, then maintained with medium fire, and the fire is stopped after 10-12 hours.

(1) Inoculation The sterile operating procedures must be strictly followed.

Production management

After inoculation, the first thing to grow on the spawn block is the Hypoxylon sp. mycelium, which begins to decompose lignin and cellulose and secretes black pigment. Then the tremella mycelium also begins to spread within the substrate and gradually twists into clumps at the inoculation point, forming the fruiting body primordium. When the primordium first forms, it is just a mass of yellowish-brown semi-transparent gelatinous granules, which later gradually branch and expand into pieces and develop to maturity. Therefore, the growth and development of tremella is a continuous physiological process, usually divided into two stages: mycelial growth and fruiting body development. For bag-cultivated tremella, in order to facilitate indoor management, according to the biological characteristics of tremella, it is more reasonable to divide it into 4 management stages.

(1) Management during the mycelial growth period (days 1-12) After inoculation, move the ear bags to a previously disinfected culture room, stack them crosswise in a "well" shape on the bed frames for mycelial incubation, and decide the stacking height or the density of ear bag arrangement according to the natural temperature.

The first 3 days are the period of mycelial germination and colonization. The room temperature should be controlled at 25-30 degrees C to promote the rapid germination and colonization of feathery mycelium and its extension into the culture substrate, forming a growth advantage to prevent contamination by miscellaneous bacteria. But at this time the room temperature must not exceed 30 degrees C. After 3 days, the mycelium has extended around the hole opening. Combine this with turning the stacks, move the ear bags on the bed frames up and down, and increase the distance between ear bags. After that, turn the stacks once every 3 days, increasing the bag spacing from 1 cm to 2 cm, to facilitate ventilation and heat dissipation. During this period, the room temperature should be adjusted to 25-26 degrees C to facilitate tremella mycelial growth.

During the mycelial incubation period, the relative air humidity should be controlled below 70%. If the humidity is too high, the sealing tape will become damp, and miscellaneous bacteria will easily grow. However, the relative humidity should also not be lower than 60%, to prevent the spawn from drying out and losing water, which is unfavorable for germination.

Under normal conditions, open the doors and windows for ventilation 1-2 times a day, 30 minutes each time. If the temperature is suitable and the outside temperature does not fluctuate greatly, the windows can also be opened for long periods for ventilation, keeping the air fresh.

During the mycelial incubation period, combine stack turning with checking for contamination. If mold colonies are found, the fungicide gumeiling can be injected to kill them.

(2) Management during the young ear period (days 19-27) From 19-27 days after inoculation is the growth and development period of the young ear. During this period, the growth of the young ear has two characteristics: first, it is young and tender; second, its growth is not uniform enough. Those that produce ears earlier already have fruit bodies the size of broad bean grains, while those that produce ears later are only the size of soybean grains. The management work during this period is to formulate relevant measures based on these two growth characteristics, promote the robust development of the young tender fruiting bodies, and narrow the gap between the groups, laying the foundation for high yield.

1. Temperature should be moderate The room temperature should be adjusted between 23-25 degrees C, and it is best not to exceed 25 degrees C. If it exceeds 25 degrees C, the ears will be thin. If it exceeds 28 degrees C, not only will the ears be thin, but there will also be shrinkage and then rotting. The temperature should also not be lower than 22 degrees C, as this will make the ear pieces thinner. Below 18 degrees C they will become even thinner, and prolonged low temperature will also cause the young ears to shrink, fail to open, or rot.

2. Humidity should be on the low side When other conditions are suitable, controlling humidity is an important means of strengthening the ears and achieving uniformity across the group. During the young ear period, the indoor humidity should be controlled at 80%. If the humidity is below 75%, the young ears are prone to shrinking and yellowing, and it is very difficult for them to return to normal growth; if the humidity is above 85%, the pieces will open early and expand unevenly, resulting not only in low yield and poor fruit body shape, but also in many small ears, reducing commercial value.

3. Properly control oxygen and ventilation During the young ear period, because the indoor humidity is on the low side, doors and windows should not be opened unless it is to cool down and remove moisture. Otherwise, because the humidity will not drop, the young ears will shrink and turn yellow; at the same time, ventilation and oxygen supply will cause the young ears to develop too quickly, affecting yield and quality. In the last 4 days of young ear management, after 10 a.m. each day, under normal temperature and humidity conditions, when the young ears are about 3 cm in size, the newspaper should be lifted for several hours so that the young ears can receive more oxygen. The removed newspaper should be dried in the sun for sterilization and then put back, after which a heavy watering should be sprayed. If there are signs of rotten ears on the bed surface, tetracycline or chlortetracycline can be added to the water for spraying.

The general principle of young ear period management is to focus on control, combining regulation and control. Henan ear farmers call this "dunmiao," or vividly call it "marking time and dressing the ranks." Its purpose is to cultivate a uniform and robust group.

(3) Management during the mature ear period (day 28 to harvest) Starting from the 28th day after inoculation, tremella matures after about 10 days, and this period is called the mature ear period. The focus of management during the mature ear period is to promote piece expansion and vigorous growth.

1. Regulate temperature and prevent high temperatures At this time, the room temperature should be controlled within 24-26 degrees C, with 25 degrees C being most suitable. Under suitable temperature, the tremella grows with good fruit body shape, thick ear pieces and high yield. The mature ear period is the stage of the most vigorous physiological activity of tremella, and the bag temperature is relatively high, so high temperatures in the room must be prevented. If the room temperature exceeds 27 degrees C, doors and windows should be opened all day for ventilation, combined with spraying water to maintain moisture and prevent the ear pieces from drying out.

2. Heavy watering to promote ear growth When the fruiting body grows to 5 cm in size, heavy watering should be used to promote ear growth, bringing the relative humidity to 95%, and within 5-6 days the tremella can rapidly expand and grow. The number of water sprays per day and the amount sprayed should be controlled according to the climate and the condition of the ear pieces. In principle, it is better to keep it moist than dry; starting from the 33rd day, the newspaper can be removed and water sprayed directly on the tremella, so that the center of the ear can receive sufficient oxygen and water, and the fruit body shape will be fuller. From 5-7 days before harvesting the ears, stop spraying water and just keep them in a moist state.

3. Strengthen ventilation and increase oxygen During the growth of the fruiting body, respiration is vigorous, and the oxygen requirement is proportional to individual size. Especially in the few days near harvest, spraying water increases. If ventilation is poor, in a long-term static high-humidity environment, rotten ears are very likely to appear. Therefore, when the temperature is high, doors and windows should be opened day and night for ventilation to strengthen air exchange; when the temperature is low, while ensuring room temperature, doors and windows should still be opened as much as possible for ventilation, and windows facing the sun can even be kept open all day.

4. Provide sufficient scattered light During the mature ear period, all shading materials on doors and windows should be removed to increase indoor scattered light. Under conditions of sufficient scattered light, the fruiting body expands rapidly, the pieces are thick, and the color is white and bright.

Precautions during planting:

1. Temperature

In the growth process of tremella, the control of temperature must be up to standard. If the temperature is not controlled well, then you will find that some tremella die and some become deformed, and so on. Therefore, the temperature suitable for tremella survival generally needs to be controlled at around 20-25 degrees C. The lowest temperature cannot be lower than 6 degrees C, and the highest cannot exceed 30 degrees C. Of course, in special cases tremella can still grow at 0 degrees C, only the growth rate is very slow. In the entire growth process of tremella, at least three insulation measures must be carried out, each time adjusting the temperature to around 22-25 degrees C.

2. Moisture

Water is a necessary condition for the growth of all things, and the same is true for tremella. Tremella has a somewhat large demand for water. The moisture in the field should at least be maintained at around 70%-80%, but it absolutely must not be higher than 90%; above 90%, tremella does not easily germinate and its growth is very weak. During the entire growth period, watering should be carried out at least three times. The first is at planting time, the second is about 20-25 days after planting, and the third is generally one month later. But if it is summer, watering must be frequent, generally once every three days, which is very troublesome, so planting in summer is generally not recommended.

3. Light

Tremella cannot be exposed to excessive direct sunlight, but it also cannot grow without light. Therefore, when planting, we should choose the planting site well. It is best to choose a place with tree shade, so that the sunlight shining down is relatively scattered and the light is not too strong. But if there really is no such place, artificial means must be used to create an environment suitable for tremella growth. Try to use materials with light-transmitting properties to build shade structures, so that tremella can grow quickly and with good quality.

4. Nutrients

Before planting tremella, we prepare the nutrients for tremella, so we must pay attention to the growth habits of tremella and what kind of nutrients tremella absorbs and utilizes more easily, and then prepare accordingly. Therefore, in order to promote the growth of tremella, we generally add nitrogen fertilizer, phosphorus fertilizer and calcium fertilizer to the nutrients, so as to promote tremella's absorption of external nutrients and healthy growth.

5. Sterilization

In the growth process of tremella, there are actually no major diseases, and the main threat comes from bacteria. Although some fungi can promote tremella's absorption of nutrients, there are also many fungi that seriously affect the normal growth of tremella. Therefore, after preparing the nutrients, we need to sterilize the nutrients under high pressure, and then carry out inoculation. During inoculation, disinfection and sterilization treatment should also be done well, so as to ensure that tremella grows in a healthy environment.