CULTIVATION TIPS MUSHROOM OFFICE Influencing casing soil structure
I regularly hear comments about casing soil quality when I visit growers: it is either too fine or too coarse. However, growers can apply measures to influence the structure. The first disadvantage of too fine casing soil is that it encourages more mycelium growth which produces more pinheads that ultimately develop into mushrooms. The second disadvantage is that the casing dries out faster. Dehydrated casing is especially problematic if you can’t apply any water on your first flush. Not much difference will be noticeable in the first flush, but the number of mushrooms will be more difficult to steer in the second flush and the mushrooms mature faster. Any differences will become even greater in a possible third flush. Compost quality, how many nutrients it still contains and whether it can be used in later flushes is frequently discussed during training courses or growers’ meetings. I believe the casing soil plays a key role in this respect. Dehydrated casing soil lacks the capacity to transport water from the compost to the mushrooms. Water is an essential component (92% of a mushroom is water) and is the medium that moves nutrients to the mushrooms. The initial casing soil quality and how it is handled at filling is crucial to avoid dried out casing, especially if no water can be added to the mushrooms. Filling and applying casing in a growing room are decisive factors in mushroom growing. At larger mushroom farms, these tasks are increasingly performed in the absence of the grower, even though it is the grower who has to work with the casing in the coming weeks. In this case, clear communication is vital between the grower and the operator of the filling machine. The operator must also have a good understanding of mushroom cultivation and correct handling of casing soil. Four strategies that growers or filling machine operators can use to adapt the casing soil structure and influence the amount of mycelium are presented below.
Water You can influence the casing soil structure by adding water to the casing during filling. Add water before the casing passes under the ruffling axle. A maximum of 3 litres per m2 As a start, try adding 1 litre per m2
as the casing retains a much softer structure.
Ruffle faster Adjusting the speed of the ruffler also influences the structure. If the casing soil structure is a little finer than the week before, reduce the rotation speed of the axle to avoid further structure loss. Larger clumps of casing retain more moisture but pay attention not to create anaerobic casing soil. Inspect this by taking a handful of casing soil from the bed about four to five days after filling. This layer must be completely black, even in the middle of the lumps. But if you notice brown patches in the clumps, the casing soil is anaerobic. If there is just a single patch this is a borderline case, but if there are brown patches in almost every handful, it is too late. The problem with anaerobic casing soil is that it lacks a water retention capacity. It appears to be very wet, but it also dries out very quickly. If the casing has a very coarse structure, reverse the principle and increase the rotation speed of the axle to create a finer structure.
Add compost at casing (CAC) There are several ways to use the CAC-technique during filling. You can do this by using only the ruffling axle to add compost at casing. However, some filling machines also have an axle or rod where the casing is supplied. This axle mixes some compost through the casing when it drops onto the compost layer. This method is common in countries that use relatively heavy casing soil with little structure. Using just the ruffling axle would not mix enough compost through the casing soil. However, if too much CAC is left in the casing soil, the casing will dry out very quickly.
CI (Casing Inoculum) CI is used in casing soil that dries out faster. Mycelium is hydrophobic, meaning it repels water. CAC can cause the casing to dry out faster. It’s a situation familiar to every grower: drier casing in places where too much CAC has accidentally been mixed through the casing. Using CI eliminates this problem. CI speeds up colonisation of the casing without drying out the casing too much. This was trialled by one of my clients and the technique enabled him to use up to about 30% less casing soil. A disadvantage of CI is that it must be distributed very well through the casing soil and the consistency of pinning. These factors led to the trial being stopped. Despite this, CI could be a good alternative to reduce dehydration of casing soil, certainly with the new type of casing that contains less or even no peat and often has a finer structure.
By Mark den Ouden, Mushroom Office
can be applied at this point. This makes the casing much wetter so it retains more structure. and see what the result is. The effect of adding water at this stage will be visible later in cultivation
48 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
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