The cultivation season in the province primarily takes place during spring. After 25 days of fermentation, the strains can be inoculated in a single batch. It typically takes 40 to 50 days for mushrooms to mature. During this period, the temperature should be maintained between 20°C and 28°C. For fall cultivation, the process should begin by the end of July, with the bacterial inoculation scheduled for early August.
For the preparation of the growing medium, 100 square meters of material is required. This includes 2000 kg of straw, with wheat straw making up at least 70%, while other types such as bean straw, Corn stalks, or cotton shells should not exceed 30%. The straw must be dry and free from mold. If using corn stalks, they should be cut into 6–10 cm pieces using a crusher or guillotine. Corn hearts should be crushed into particles about 1 cm in diameter. In addition, 750–900 kg of manure is needed—primarily beef and sheep dung, with a small amount of chicken or silkworm feces. The manure should be clean, dry, and finely crushed. If no animal waste is available, 36 kg of urea can be used as an alternative. Other auxiliary materials include 75–85 kg of quicklime, 75 kg of gypsum, 1 kg of magnesium sulfate, 1.5 kg of potassium dihydrogen phosphate, and 50 kg of superphosphate.
The composting process begins with pre-wetting. Two to three days before building the heap, the straw is piled up to a height of 1.2–1.5 meters and watered. It is then turned over until it is evenly moist. After 1–2 days, excess water is drained, and the moisture level should allow two or three drops of water to be squeezed from the grass when pressed between fingers. One day before the heap is built, the manure is mixed with water at a ratio of 1:1.2, ensuring it is just damp enough to hold moisture when squeezed. It should not be overly wet, as this can hinder fermentation.
The heap is constructed near the cultivation area, in a sunny, sheltered spot that is high and dry, with easy access to water and transportation. The ground is cleared of debris and weeds, and a layer of lime is sprinkled. A 20 cm layer of straw is laid, followed by a 5 cm layer of manure, with lime water sprayed on top. This layering continues until the heap reaches a height of 80–120 cm, a width of 120–200 cm, and a base width of 80–90 cm. The cross-section is trapezoidal, and the length is flexible. If urea is used instead of manure, it should be dissolved in water and added starting from the third layer. The top of the heap is covered with manure to form a dome shape. Straw and plastic film are placed around the heap for protection against rain and heat. Shade nets are used on sunny days, and drainage ditches are dug around the heap to prevent waterlogging.
Turning the heap is essential for proper fermentation. Within 5 days, the temperature inside the heap rises to 65°C, reaching 70°C on the sixth day. At this point, the first turning is performed. During this process, additives like gypsum and magnesium sulfate are dissolved in water and evenly sprayed onto the material. Subsequent turnings are done every 5, 4, 3, 3, and 2 days. When the compost turns light brown, becomes soft and elastic, has no sour smell, and shows a slight apple-like aroma with some white actinomycetes, it is ready for use.
Shelving is set up in a mushroom shed that is 4.8 meters wide and 2.5 meters high at the center, with 2.1 meters on the sides. There are two built-in mushroom beds, each 1.3 meters wide, positioned 0.6 meters away from the shelf edges. Two 1-meter-wide walkways separate the beds. The central pillars are 2.8 meters high, and the side pillars are 2.4 meters, buried 0.3 meters underground. Three layers of fruiting shelves are installed, spaced 0.6 meters apart, with the bottom layer 0.3 meters above the floor and the top layer 1 meter below the roof. Mushroom holders can be made from old rice straw bundles or wooden posts, with a spacing of 1.5 meters. Six bamboo poles are placed along the length of the shed, and horizontal ties are made 10–15 cm above the pillars. Shade nets, cut into 1.8 m × 1.6 m sections, are tied to the bamboo poles with plastic film. The entire structure is covered with plastic film, which can be sealed tightly with sandbags for warmth or lifted for ventilation. In summer, one or two black shade nets can be placed 1.5 meters above the roof, with a 0.5-meter gap between them if double shading is used.
Two days before planting, the culture materials are placed in the mushroom shed, and the space is fumigated with an aerosol disinfectant. The materials are spread from top to bottom, and seeds are prepared for planting. All tools and hands must be disinfected with 75% ethanol or 0.1% potassium permanganate solution before sowing.
If using wheat saplings, 3–4 bottles of bacteria per square meter are required, with seeds sown in three batches. Each layer of material is 8 cm thick, and one bottle of bacteria is evenly distributed on top. The vaccinator wears a rubber glove and mixes the material, then flattens and presses it with a wooden board to ensure good contact. The top layer should have slightly more bacteria than the lower layers and is covered with a thin layer of culture material. After compaction, the total thickness should be about 20 cm. A layer of plastic film is placed on top for insulation and moisture retention.
For fermented manure-based strains, the hole sowing method is used. Bacteria are formed into egg-sized clumps for storage. The culture material is spread on a net rack to a thickness of 20 cm, then "pig-shaped" holes are dug at 10 cm depth and 10 cm apart. The bacterial clumps are placed into the holes, covered with surrounding material, and lightly pressed to secure the connection. After sowing, 1/4 of the remaining bacteria is evenly spread over the surface, followed by a layer of culture material and a final press.
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