Disease prevention and control in king oyster mushrooms: sterilization, ventilation and routine management

The king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) is a widely cultivated edible mushroom species, mostly produced by the bag-cultivation fruiting method. Because the mushroom house environment is relatively enclosed and humid, once disease breaks out it spreads easily, so disease control should focus on prevention, combining substrate treatment, environmental regulation and daily inspection.

Common diseases fall broadly into two categories: fungal and bacterial. On the fungal side, contaminants such as Trichoderma and Neurospora easily contaminate the mushroom bags, producing green or orange-red mold patches on the substrate; on the bacterial side, yellowing disease and brown spot disease mainly damage the fruiting bodies, causing the mushrooms to turn yellow and develop water-soaked spots, and in severe cases the whole cluster loses its market value.

Control work should start at the source: use vigorous spawn of the right age, sterilize the substrate thoroughly, and carefully disinfect the inoculation site and mushroom house before use. During the spawn-running period, control the temperature well and maintain ventilation, and remove contaminated bags promptly for disposal. During the fruiting stage, avoid prolonged high temperature and high humidity, strengthen ventilation after watering, and prevent water from accumulating on the fruiting bodies, which can noticeably reduce the occurrence of bacterial diseases.

In routine management, it is also necessary to control pests such as mushroom gnats and mushroom flies, which are often vectors for the spread of pathogens. During inspections, diseased and deformed mushrooms should be removed together with the surrounding substrate and taken out of the mushroom house, and the affected area can be disinfected as well. After each harvest, clean up the spent substrate and disinfect the mushroom house to create a clean environment for the next flush and reduce the likelihood of disease recurring.