Recommendations for work in mushroom growing sites

I. Incubation

• During the placement of the compost in a permanent place, it is necessary to shake the briquettes, which will improve the air regime and create conditions for uniform growth of mycelium during the incubation process.

• After placing the compost in the prepared site, within 1 - 2 days, the briquette should be opened, paper should be placed on the compost, moistened and the PVC foil should be put back on it (moistening of the paper should be repeated as needed. It needs to be moistened throughout the incubation period.).

• Mycelia develop best at a compost temperature of 25C and humidity of 95%.

• The CO2 content should be as high as possible (4,000 - 6,000 ppm).

• The average incubation time is 14 - 16 days.

II. Covering

• After incubation, the compost is covered with a cover.

• The cover must be disinfected and must have maximum humidity.

• The height of the cover layer must be 5 cm, and over the entire surface of the briquette.

• The most important task after covering is maintaining optimal moisture of the cover. On average, 8 to 20 liters of water are needed per square meter - 5 briquettes represent 1 m2 of land surface.

• The amount of water applied during watering depends on the quality of the cover, i.e. on its ability to retain moisture.

• The dynamics of watering the cover depends on the experience of the producer himself.

• The cover must have a pH value of 7.5 to 7.8.

III. Conditions in the site from covering to tilling.

When the mycelium enters the mulch at a depth of 2/3, tilling is performed.

This operation is of great importance in production and contributes to the following:

• It allows for uniform development of the mycelium in the mulch, and thus uniform formation of mushrooms.

• It affects the increase in production.

• Through tilling, the mycelium in the mulch is broken, which stimulates the development of mushrooms.

• It reduces the risk of the mulch separating from the compost, which is why it is of great importance to till it to the compost.

IV. Conditions in the site from rowing to the cooling phase.

• Two to three days after the raking, the mycelium should reconnect.

• During this period, watering should not be done.

• It is mandatory to stop the introduction of fresh air. Otherwise, the mycelium will thicken early.

• The temperature of the compost should be 25C

• Air humidity: 95%

• CO2 content: 4,000 – 6,000 ppm

V. Cooling and formation of the brood

• Cooling should begin when the mycelium reconnects and begins to emerge on the surface of the cover.

• With this operation, the vegetative phase of mycelial development ceases and the generative phase begins - fructification.

• In order to achieve fructification, it is necessary to change the micro-climatic conditions in the site with the help of a ventilation system, i.e. an air conditioning system.

• It is necessary to stop watering until the first pea-sized mushrooms are formed. Watering is stopped for 13-15 days from the moment of cooling. Otherwise, a dense first wave will form.

• The temperature in the room must be reduced.

• The air humidity and CO2 content must also be reduced.

There are four micro-climatic factors that are crucial for the formation of mushrooms:

1. Compost temperature.

The temperature of the compost in this phase is reduced from 25C to 19-21C. The temperature reduction must be carried out over a period of 5-6 days.

2. Air temperature.

The temperature in the room must be reduced to 18C, gradually over 5 to 6 days. The gradual reduction in air temperature ensures the conditions for obtaining a large and high-quality mushroom and an evenly distributed wave.

3. Air humidity.

When the development of the mycelium stops, the mycelium thickens and forms small knots (the small knot is actually a future mushroom). During this period, the mycelium and the formed knots are very sensitive to dehydration, and it is extremely important that the air humidity is 95% during these 4 to 5 days. Otherwise, the formed knots will disappear.

4. CO2 content.

The CO2 content for 4 to 5 days from the start of cooling should be reduced from 4,000 - 6,000 ppm to 1,300 ppm, as this is one of the conditions for mushroom formation. In the case of a high CO2 content, the formed knots will disappear and the mycelium will return to the vegetative phase.

VI. Activities at the site from formation to the emergence of the first wave and the first wave.

During this period, it is most important to pay special attention to watering the cover. Taking into account the following factors:

1. The mushrooms must have a minimum size (pea grain) before starting watering. Early watering will cause stagnation.

2. Excessive watering can also cause stagnation.

3. Enough water must be added to ensure sufficient humidity so that the cover after the first wave is soft enough for the emergence of a second wave. For this, watering should begin in the middle of the first wave. This will avoid watering the newly formed mushrooms of the second wave, and thus the danger of their destruction will disappear. Watering should stop at the end of the first wave and start again after the formation of the mushrooms in the other wave, at optimal size.

4. The optimal watering regime excludes the possibility of drying out of the contact layer of the cover - compost.

VII. Second wave.

Microclimatic conditions:

• The development of future mushrooms makes the emission of CO2, moisture and heat more intense. It is necessary to strictly control the conditions in the site through the ventilation system in order to maintain favorable conditions for the development of the mushroom. Namely: air temperature 17-18 C, RH 88-90%, CO2, 1000-1500 ppm. Maintaining these values ​​​​should be done gradually. Weak air movement and poor ventilation create a problem with evaporation (glassy/smooth spots on the mushrooms). Strong air movement or ventilation create an unnecessary loss of compost activity. Strong air movement in combination with low relative humidity leads to the formation of mushroom shells. If the mushrooms are compacted, CO2 emission and evaporation will be blocked, regardless of strong air movement. The consequences are thin, long stems and open mushrooms. If these mistakes are made, the second wave of mushrooms will also be affected by them.

• At the end of the first wave, the temperature of the compost increases. The air temperature is usually controlled and brought to a constant value (17-18 C) during and after the first wave leaves. The development of the second wave begins immediately after the temperature in the compost drops.

• Watering for the second wave should be completed by the end of the first wave. Further watering is carried out after the newly formed mushrooms of the second wave are the size of a pea. Newly formed mushrooms are very sensitive to direct contact with water and any watering during this period can lead to the destruction of a certain number of newly formed mushrooms. Watering can only be applied as a corrective measure in case of a strongly formed second wave.

• The CO2 level and relative humidity of the air should be maintained at the level of the first wave. Due to reduced compost activity, air movement can also be reduced, which will maintain sufficient compost activity for the third wave. In the period between waves, the air humidity level should be increased due to easier formation of the next wave (85-90%). At a high level of CO2 during the formation of the second wave, newly formed fungi are destroyed. A high percentage of air humidity slows down evaporation, which reduces the activity of the compost and all processes stop, which in turn allows pathogens and diseases to appear.

VIII. Third wave.

In order to carry out the third wave, it is necessary to keep the cover quite soft after the second wave, while maintaining sufficient compost activity. The activity of the compost is reflected in the difference in temperature between the compost and the room.

In case this difference is small, there are two ways to force the activity:

a) The temperature in the room must be increased to 22-23 C, so that the compost temperature reaches 21 C. After which the temperature in the room is reduced to 17-18C.

b) The temperature in the room is reduced to 16-17C, which achieves a greater difference. This is done only if the compost can maintain a sufficient difference.

The remaining parameters must be maintained ??? as well as during the second wave, but attention should be paid to the humidity of the cover. A dry cover allows for strong formation, which gives an easy and poor-quality mushroom, while a very wet cover reduces activity and slows down the processes.

IX. Conclusion.

Main conditions for a quality crop:

1. Ensure optimal microclimatic conditions in the site.

2. Quality cover.

3. Proper watering (insufficient humidity dries out the mycelium in the cover and reduces production, while high humidity causes growth and development to stop; 1kg of mushrooms = 2 l of water).

4. High hygiene and proper use of chemicals (weak doses do not prevent the spread of diseases, while strong doses negatively affect production).

The same schedule is repeated for the formation of each subsequent wave.

Growing technology schedule