Mushroom Farming

Materials:

Rice straw, 500 kg. (sugarcane bagasse, sugarcane leaves as substitutes)
Ammonium sulfate, 2%
Lime, 4%
Chicken manure (dried), 15-25%
Calcium sulfate, 2-2.5%
Urea, 1.5%
Potash, 1.5-2.0%
Water

Equipment:

1.5m x 10m x 1m compost bed
The Growing House

Procedure:

1. Preparation of compost - Straw is filed on the compost bed and water is sprinkled as filing is being done until water overflows on the sides. The pile is turned every fourth day. Chicken manure and urea are added on the first turning and ammonium sulfate and 2% lime on the second turning. The lumps formed are broken during the fermentation. Calcium sulfate, potash and the remaining 2% lime is supplemented on the third and last turning. Composting is completed for 16-20 days, depending on the rate of fermentation.

2. Bedding - In the newly composted materials are placed on shelves to a thickness of 12-15 cm. inside the growing house. The growing house must be enclosed for 5 days to conserve heat and increase the temperature to 55-65 C.

3. Planting and Casing - One-half kg. spawns per square meter of the bed are planted. The beds are then covered with 1.2 cm. soil that is obtained one (1) meter below the surface and previously mixed with 1% lime. The growing house is closed for two (2) weeks with occasional checking of spawn run. At a temperature of 17-22 C and a relative humidity of 85-90%, the first crop is harvested 20 days after casing.

4. Care and Management - To prevent the contamination of white mold (Monilla sp.), green molds Penicillin sp.) and blue molds (Trichoderma), the following are employed:

a. Spot spray with Benlate at 1 tbsp. per 1/3 gallon of water.
b. Spray Azodrin to control millipedes
c. Spray ferrous sulfate at 200 ppm concentration to induce uniform break or pinhead formation.
d. Spray with Fuxal, a liquid fertilizer at a concentration of 1,000 ppm after the break.
e. Spray with tap water when relative humidity becomes lower than 75%.

Source and photo courtesy: ITDI (DOST)