Mushroom Inoculation: Specific Manual Inoculation Steps (Part 1)

Currently, there are two types of inoculation sites for mushroom bags: one is inoculation using inoculation boxes, which has a high yield but is relatively slow; the other is inoculation using "inoculation tents," which has a high yield and is fast. Compared with inoculation boxes, inoculation tents have two advantages: first, operators can enter them, making operation convenient; second, the capacity of inoculation tents is dozens of times that of inoculation boxes, greatly improving work efficiency. The daily inoculation capacity of an inoculation box is approximately 500 bags/person, while the daily inoculation capacity of an inoculation tent is approximately 2000 bags/person.

The following describes the key points of operation using the manual inoculation method with bags covered by inoculation tents as an example.

(1) Construction of the Inoculation Tent: The area of ​​the inoculation site should not be too large, preferably not exceeding 50m². If a plastic greenhouse is chosen, a 50m² inoculation site can be isolated inside the greenhouse using film. The inoculation tent can be sealed with plastic sheeting (8-filament agricultural film), 5m long, 5m wide, and 2m high, with a space of approximately 50m³, which can accommodate 2000 mushroom bags and 4 inoculation personnel. (2) Preparation before inoculation

① Space disinfection of the inoculation tent: Before inoculation, disinfect the inoculation tent. Then, transport the freshly cooked mushroom bags to the tent and arrange them properly. Prepare all necessary inoculation tools, including the inoculum, adhesive tape, conical punching rods or inoculation drills, and 75% alcohol cotton balls. Close the tent and disinfect again. Generally, one tent holds 2000 mushroom bags, with 35-40 bags of inoculum. Disinfection can be done using an aerosol disinfection box, using 4-6g per cubic meter, 50g per box. For a 50m³ inoculation tent, use 4-6 boxes. Light the box with a match to produce white smoke, and seal for 6-8 hours to achieve sterilization.

② Venting before inoculation: For inoculation using a plastic tent, open the tent door and partially lift the film covering the mushroom bags until the inoculation personnel can tolerate the odor of the disinfectant. Open inoculation can then proceed.

③ Disinfection of Vaccination Workers: Vaccination workers must maintain personal hygiene before entering the vaccination room, and their nails must be neatly trimmed. Before entering the vaccination room, workers must wash their hands with soap and change their shoes, work clothes, and work caps upon entering. After entering the room, they should wipe their hands with 75% alcohol swabs and disinfect the vaccination tools.

④ Treatment of Inoculum: Soak the inoculum in a disinfectant solution (0.2% potassium permanganate, 300-fold diluted clotrimazole, or 300-fold diluted benzalkonium chloride solution, etc.) for several minutes. Remove the inoculum, wipe the surface clean with alcohol swabs, and then use a knife to cut open the inoculum bag and remove the old mycelial skin.