CULTIVATIONTIPS ADVISIE Signal moulds


By Con Hermans


AdVisie ‘the mushroom growing consultants’, Heythuysen hermans@mushroomconsulting.nl


We think that having a selective compost means the compost is spawned only by mushroom mycelium; however, nothing could be further from the truth. Even well- spawned compost contains a huge number of other mould strains. Many of these moulds remain hidden, as the mycelium threads of other strains are often equally as white as mushroom mycelium itself. They frequently only become visible when the spore colour starts to show during the transition from vegetative to generative growth, or when they start to produce fruit bodies. As soon as a competitor mould like trichoderma is discovered on a farm, panic breaks out, and hygiene measures at composting plants are scrutinised and tightened up. The reaction to reports of other strains of mould is often mild. However, they should not be underestimated. Many of these moulds, such as penicillium and shaggy mane send a clear signal that compost quality is not 100%. If mushroom mycelium fails to develop and colonise the compost quickly enough, com- petitor moulds will seize the opportunity and start to dominate. If visible moulds start growing, it’s a sign that other invisible ones are growing too – and they consume the very nutrients that are intended for the mushrooms! Even if production is not directly aff ected, mushroom quality soon will be. In addition, these competitor moulds attract fl ies, aphids and nematodes, which in turn introduce the risk of other problems. So composters should seriously investigate complaints relating to these moulds too. And literally dig deep into the compost to discover the source. Each type of signal mould has its own, typical cause. For example, dry patches of compost, a high pH, traces of ammonia, poor mixing, or too many recycled compost residues. The solution is within reach once you pinpoint the cause.


Spawn run: keep alert By Jos Hilkens


AdVisie ‘the mushroom growing consultants’, Herkenbosch hilkens@mushroomconsulting.nl


How spontaneously mycelium proceeds from vegetative to generative growth diff ers widely. Many factors are infl uential here, such as: the quality of the mycelium in the compost; the quality of the mycelium in the casing soil, the amount of CAC material, the spraying pattern on the casing; the composition and structure of the casing, diff erences between strains of spawn etc. If there is too much mycelium on the casing soil surface, pinheading and button formation will often be delayed and steering growth to get the right number of mushrooms will be diffi cult. The extent of colonisation accepted by growers is related to the moment of cool down. Is the casing soil surface still black, or has already 50 to 75% of the surface been colonised by mycelium when cool down starts? Growers can stimulate bunching of the mycelium by reducing the CO2 levels. Heavy casing soils usually tend to stay wetter on the surface, which stagnates the vegetative growth of mycelium. If you are experiencing problems here, then start the process with an RH of 90% instead of 94-96%. It is sometimes necessary to reduce the RH to 85% for 8 to 12 hours on the fi rst or second day, and lower the temperature by 3 degrees Celsius to encourage the mycelium threads to bunch together. However, if there is too much mycelium on the surface of the beds, spray about 1 to 1.5 l water/m3 on day 3 or 4. This will give more even pinheading and button formation, which is better for mechanised harvesting.


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Consulting for: the mushroom growing consultants


Jos Hilkens +31(0)653 31 6204


Composting 6 MUSHROOM BUSINESS


Disease control


Mushroom picking


Con Hermans +31(0)653 29 9396


www.mushroomconsulting.nl


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