CULTIVATIONTIPS ADVISIE Maximise bandwidth CO2


By Jos Hilkens


AdVisie “de champignonteeltadviseurs”, Herkenbosch


hilkens@champignonadvies.nl Photo: AdVisie


Carbon dioxide is an inorganic chemical compound of carbon (C) and oxygen. It is colourless and odourless and occurs in the earth’s atmosphere. Outside air contains 400 ppm (0.004%) CO2 while the growing room air on a mushroom farm can contain levels that exceed 10,000 ppm. The level is usually between 800 and 3000 ppm, depending on the phase of cultivation. CO2 is produced in the growing room by the mushroom mycelium decomposing organic matter in the compost. A too high CO2 content will result in no or fewer pinheads, and cause the mushrooms to mature too quickly. The CO2 content can be lowered very simply by introducing more outside air into the room (more ventilation). Some growers control based on a CO2 bandwidth of 200 ppm or lower. This means, e.g., a minimum CO2 of 1200 ppm with a maximum of 1400 ppm. However the outside air is often too warm or too cold, too dry or too moist so it has to be corrected using heating or cooling. In addition, air temperature and relative air humidity have a far greater influence on pinheading than the CO2 content. It is therefore preferable to increase the CO2 bandwidth to 600-800 ppm and let the climate computer decide whether the moisture and heat content of the outside air will positively benefit conditions in the growing room. If the RH is too high in the room, for example, but the outside RH is low, the computer will control the CO2 content to its minimum value in order to avoid having to dehumidify. This saves energy, and in many cases creates more constant and natural climate conditions.


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Champfood - There is simply no sub.. - Halve pagina FC - Oktober 2014.indd 1 16 MUSHROOM BUSINESS 09-12-14 11:52


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