CULTIVATION TIPS MUSHROOM SIGNALS Hygiene is teamwork
One thing I recommend at composting yards is checking the hygiene and particularly just before starting spawning. Tricho- derma only becomes visible three weeks after the infection occurred at spawning. And if only one tunnel is infected, then it’s actually a blessing in disguise, and you’ve had a lucky escape. But repeated infections are signals of something more serious, so that means tracing the cause. Cracks or leaks in tunnels, where residues of old compost can accumulate, are extremely dangerous. Anything can start to grow in old compost, including trichoderma. Tunnels used exclusively for spawning, so only phase III - spawn run of mycelium through the compost - are more susceptible to infection. These tunnels are steamed before spawning, but steam treatment on its own does not disinfect the tunnel to the same extent as filling a tunnel with phase 1 compost. Phase 1 is then also pasteurised in the tunnel and high concentrations of ammonia also build up. But once a certain system is routine at a compost yard, it cannot be changed overnight. The most labour intensive process on a tunnel company with phase III is cleaning the machinery. The various machines must be cleaned step by step. Step 1: Remove large residues of compost from the machine. Step 2: Rinse the machine with plenty of water, from top to bottom. Step 3: Soak the machine with foam, such as a detergent used to clean vehicles or a chlorine-based foam. Foam has a longer contact time on the surface of the machine, so the detergent has longer to react to the soiling on the machine. Step 4: Spray the machine clean using a high-pressure cleaner. Obviously avoid spraying the bearings, or the switch boxes, but concentrate on all parts of the machine that could harbour compost. Ensure all organic matter is removed from the machine. Step 5: Rinse the machine again with plenty of water, from top to bottom. Step 6 is the most crucial, and one that is often overlooked! Have a colleague inspect the machine with a torch and start looking for anything you may have missed. Two pairs of eyes are better than one. This last step is often quite a sensitive issue at many compost yards. People are reluctant to point out mistakes made by others. But failing to check and motivate each other to ensure the machines are as clean as possible is
the biggest mistake that prevents good levels of hygiene. Sloppy work is not always to blame. It is often technically impossible to clean something. It is important that machines and conveyor belts are designed and installed so all the parts can be accessed for cleaning. And adequate cleaning tools are also important. A 40 cm long tube with a diameter of 15 mm and an angle of 90 or 180 degrees (see photo) is ideal to reach and clean away compost from awkward places. Be creative and spend a little more time on this, so you can easily clean that particular spot on the machine for the next 52 weeks of the year. No one makes mistakes on purpose when cleaning. But where I see most oversights is when there is too little time and people with little experience who are not properly supervised and trained.
By Mark den Ouden
(advert)
40 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
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