Fortalezas y Debilidades presentes en el modelo actual de gestión del SOAT SOAT

approximately 50kg of substrate. Other growers may use smaller plastic bags containing about 20kg of substrates. Regardless of the sizes of the bags used, holes are punched into the bags for aeration and mushroom maturation. Upon completion of spawn-run, growers usually move the bags into the production room or the growing room. U.S.A. - The pasteurized and supplemented straw or hulls are spawned and filled (12-15kg) into clear or black perforated polyethylene bags and then incubated at 23-25℃ for 12-14 days. Some growers use bags with pre- punched holes while other growers cut holes in the bags after spawning.

Fruiting and harvesting

Unlike other crops, mushrooms - fruit bodies of fungi are quite sensitive to the growing conditions including temperature, humidity, light and ventilation. The correct temperature enables them to grow well in growing house. The light and ventilation influence the color, size and texture of the mushrooms.

Temperature

Mycelia of oyster mushroom grow best at a temperature range between 20 and 25℃. In order to induce fruiting after full colonization, the room temperature must be lowered to below 15℃ or colonized bags must be moved to a growing room. Otherwise, growers cannot expect good primordial formation despite good colonization.

Figure 23. Simple structure for mushroom growing Figure 24. Thatch growing house covered with a shading net

Light

Unlike mycelia, which do not require light, primordia are formed under light. Mushroom formation and growth stages require 80-210 lux of light. Without light, fruiting bodies of oyster mushroom would abort or malformed. Light influences on the fruitbody color and stipe length. Under poor light, mushrooms with an elongated stipe and light-colored cap are produced while under excessive light, they will be short and dark-colored.

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Ventilation

Oyster mushroom growth is stunted under high CO2 concentrations. Young mushrooms suffocate due to lack of

oxygen. Mushroom stipes become enlongated and twisted and cap growth is very poor. Excessive ventilation, however, causes heavy water loss, resulting in lower room humidity and drier substrate.

Humidity and substrate moisture content

After ventilation, the room humidity drops. Spraying water onto corridors and into the air is recommended. The proper room humidities for pinning and fruitbody development are 90% and 80-85%, respectively. Once pinheads appear on the substrate, indoor humidity must be lowered to 85%.

Excessive substrate moisture content could cause the lack of oxygen in the substrate, which, in turn, could keep mycelia growing vigorously. In this situation, the growth of fruitbodies in the substrate bags is delayed and stunted. When both the substrate moisture content and room humidity are low, mushroom growth will also be stunted due to the lack of water. In this situation young mushroom caps may upturn earlier and release more spores.

Watering

Because most edible mushrooms are 90% water, humidity is critical during the fruiting stage. Growers should water the growing room frequently in order to raise the relative humidity during this reproductive growth phase. Watering frequently, using small amounts of water is desirable. For example, 2 or 3 buckets of water 5 or 6 times a day is better than 10 to 15 buckets of water twice a day. Applying water directly to the mushroom bags should be avoided because drops of water are harmful to pinheads and standing water attracts a variety of pathogens. Growers should water the floor of the growing room and around the bags. Some growers utilize humidifiers to increase the relative humidity inside the growing rooms. Watering is especially important during the dry season when the ambient humidity is very low.

Figure 25. Bags laid on their side in Figure 26. A-frame rack Figure 27. Bags bound and

row on the wall. hung with wire

Bag arrangements

Various practices of bag arrangement are found worldwide. Some growers arrange bags so that they are not touching each other to avoid overheating of the bags. Mushroom mycelia emit heat during incubation, so the bags can be easily overheated if they touch each other. Air can easily flow through the spaces between the bags, preventing the temperature of the bags from increasing.

However, many growers still arrange bags stacked against each other in order to grow more mushrooms in a small growing room. Shelves and A-frame racks (Fig. 26) are used for efficient utilization of space inside growing rooms. In some countries growers bind bags with wire and hang them (Fig. 27).

[Examples: Fruiting and harvesting in different countries] Bangladesh - Growers cultivate mushrooms at room temperature.

Nepal - When the substrate is fully covered with a whitish mycelial growth, the polyethylene cover is removed. The open bags are transferred into a new room with good ventilation. The bags are kept about 15cm apart from each other on a wooden block or brick. Watering is done 3-4 times daily. Mushroom primordia start appearing 2-3 days after the removal of polyethylene and they reach maturity 5 or more days later. Oyster mushrooms have a shorter growing cycle and a total of 3-4 flushes could be harvested during this period.

Mushrooms are picked carefully without disturbing other developing mycelia. Then harvested fresh mushrooms are packed into plastic bags for the fresh market.

Under commercial cultivation, there is a great variation in biological efficiency from farmer to farmer. Usually they produce mushrooms equaling from 40-100% of the initial dry weight of substrate.

Vietnam - After the bags have been cut with 4-6 slits in the sides of each bag, they are sprayed with water 2 or 3 times a day to keep the mushrooms moist, and the growers are careful not to give them too much water. No water should collect inside the bag. Growers take the cotton out of the mouth of the bag and suspend the bags on a wire or rope, with the mouth of the bag pointing downwards.

The mushrooms will begin to appear in the slits, looking like small round buttons. As soon as they begin to appear, growers should move the bags to the growing or harvesting area. The bags should be placed 7-10cm apart.

The first oyster mushrooms can be harvested 7-10 days after the bag is cut. After the mushrooms are harvested, growers stop spraying water for several days. When the young fruits begin to appear again, they begin to spray the water again. This cycle can be repeated three or four times, giving a total harvest of 50-80kg of oyster mushrooms from 100kg of straw.

Hungary - Air temperature is maintained at 15-20℃ and the CO2 level is lowered to 600-1,000 ppm by

ventilating with fresh air. The spawn run usually takes 2-3 weeks after spawning. During this period, the humidity is maintained at 90-95% to provide for optimum condition. Subsequently, relative humidity may be lowered to 80- 90% in order to minimize development of bacterial blotch. 8-10 hours of 50-150 lux light is provided daily to allow for normal fruit body development.

India - Once the blocks are fully colonized during the spawn run, they are hung after removing the polythene in a room where the relative humidity is maintained above 85%. The humidity is normally maintained by frequent spraying of water on the blocks and room environment. The pins are visible on the ninth day after the opening of the blocks. Proper relative humidity and proper ventilation is maintained in the room during pin growth and picking. The mushrooms are picked generally for the fresh market. Most of the growers take three flushes. Mushrooms picked in the third flush are mostly used for sun drying, where maximum dry matter is achieved. REFERENCES

- Agriculture in Meghalya. Oyster Mushroom.

available at http://meghalaya.nic.in/agriculture/oyster/method.htm - Bania. Indu. 2001. Oyster mushroom cultivation in Nepal. MushWorld.

available at http://www.mushworld.com.

- Davis, R.A., and B.J. Aegerter. 2000. Edible Mushroom Cultivation. Handout from SOMA meeting (Nov. 17, 2000).

- Food and Fertilizer Technology Center. 2002. Growing oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sp.) on straw in plastic bags. available at http://www.agnet.org/library/abstract/pt2002024.html

- Kim, Duk-hwan. 2001. Optimal Growth Conditions for Oyster Mushroom, Especially during Fruiting. MushWorld. available at http://www.mushworld.com

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- Kim, Duk-hwan. 2001. Oyster Mushroom Cultivation in Summer. MushWorld. available at http://www.mushworld.com.

- Geml, J., P. Labuschagne, and D.J. Royse. 2001. Oyster Mushroom Production on Three Continents: An Overview of Cultivation in Hungary, South Africa and United States. Mushroom News 49(2): 4 -13.

- Rahman, H., and M.Q. Zaman. 1996. Cultivation technology of Pleurotus species production in Bangladesh. The Proceedings of 2nd ICMBMP pp 2-3.

Part II. Oyster Mushrooms

Chapter 7

Cultivation Modes