There are many kinds of mushrooms, all of which have high nutritional value for us.

Edible Mushroom Mite Control Technology Optimization
About 7 days after sowing edible mushrooms, effective mite control measures should be taken to ensure production quality. The following are detailed methods for mite control:
Observation and Detection
After covering the substrate with a colored film for 5-10 minutes, closely observe the culture material with a magnifying glass. Once small, flat or oval-shaped, white or yellow mites with multiple bristles are found, immediately take the following measures to eliminate them:
1. Fumigation for Mite Control
Soak cotton balls in dichlorvos and place them on the substrate under the bed frame. Cover the bed surface with plastic to allow the fumes from the pesticide to kill the mites.
2. Pesticide Spraying for Mite Control
Use the following pesticide solutions for spraying:

50% oxydemeton-methyl 1000 times solution
Pyrethrin 1500 times solution
Acaricide 500 times solution

Alternatively, spraying with 400 times diluted laundry detergent solution can also effectively control mites in 2-3 applications.
3. Rapeseed Cake Attractant for Mite Control
Place damp cloths on the infested substrate and scatter freshly roasted rapeseed cake powder on top. When the mites gather on the rapeseed cake powder, remove the cloth and place it in boiling water to kill the mites.
4. Vinegar-Sugar Pesticide Attractant
Prepare a vinegar-sugar solution:

1 part acetic acid
1 part water
0.1 part white sugar
1-2 drops of dichlorvos

Soak a piece of cloth or cotton in the solution and place it on the substrate. When the mites gather, remove and boil to kill them. Repeat the operation until all mites are eliminated.
5. Fresh Bone Attractant for Mite Control
Place fresh pig bones evenly on the affected substrate. When mites gather on the bones, place the bones in boiling water to kill the mites. Repeat several times until the substrate is free of mites.
Control Suggestions

Prevention First: Keep the culture material and surrounding environment clean to prevent mite infestation.
Prompt Action: Take immediate measures once mites are detected to prevent widespread infestation.
Safe Operation: When using chemical pesticides, follow the correct dilution ratios to ensure production safety and product quality.

By implementing these control measures, mites in the edible mushroom production process can be effectively managed, improving both yield and quality.

1. Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Techniques
Preventive Measures (If your area has already been affected by a storm, skip this section):


Monitor weather updates closely and prepare essential supplies such as drinking water, food, medicines, and daily necessities to ensure personal and property safety.
Before the storm arrives, inspect and reinforce mushroom sheds, clear surrounding drainage ditches, and ensure smooth drainage to prevent flooding inside the sheds.
Safeguard materials such as spawn, raw materials, and cultivation bags by moving them to higher ground if necessary to avoid flood damage.
Factory-based mushroom enterprises and spawn production facilities should arrange for on-site personnel to ensure electrical and equipment safety, inspect power lines and transformers, and prepare emergency power supplies, water pumps, and backup lighting.
If the storm coincides with the outdoor fermentation of compost for button mushrooms, cover the compost with plastic sheeting before the rain and ensure proper drainage. Remove the plastic sheeting afterward to prevent anaerobic fermentation.
For high-temperature mushroom varieties, reinforce mushroom sheds and address drainage issues around the area
Ensure proper drainage to prevent mushroom cultivation bags from being soaked and contaminated.


2. Post-Disaster Response


Maintain Hygiene and Control Pests and Diseases

Clear weeds and debris around mushroom farms promptly, disinfect with lime or bleach powder, and manage pests like mushroom flies and contamination using specialized mushroom-safe pest control agents.



Clean Flood-Affected Areas

Drain standing water, remove mud and debris, and relocate submerged or buried cultivation bags to shaded, ventilated areas. Disinfect the premises with lime, chlorine dioxide, or bleach, ensuring thorough drying and pest control before resuming production.






Mushroom Bag Management

Wash submerged or contaminated cultivation bags with clean water, then spray with a lime or bleach solution. Relocate them to dry, ventilated areas for recovery.
For bags that absorbed excessive water, puncture small holes in the plastic to release moisture and improve aeration, promoting mycelial recovery. Conduct ventilation during cooler periods to avoid heat stress.
For severely damaged bags, reconnect broken sections with bamboo skewers, reposition them on racks, and remove any crushed or contaminated bags promptly to prevent cross-infection.



Reprocess Contaminated Spawn Bags

For spawn bags submerged shortly after inoculation, open the bags, sun-dry the substrate, and remix with fresh materials to recreate spawn bags.



Ensure Cultivation Environment Recovery

After cleaning and disinfecting, ensure soil or substrate conditions are restored to optimum levels for further cultivation.



By taking these preventive and responsive measures, mushroom farmers can minimize losses during extreme weather events and ensure the sustainability of their operations.

Mushroom production heavily depends on cultivation bags. As the saying goes: "Mushrooms first, bags second, management third." This highlights the importance of bag quality as the foundation of successful mushroom cultivation. However, issues like bag rupture, contamination, uneven substrate adhesion, or poor fruiting often stem from overlooked bag quality and selection, which ultimately impacts mushroom yields.
Today, we will discuss how to assess the quality of cultivation bags and share some practical tips for selection.


Methods to Assess Bag Quality
1. Check the Appearance
Align the bottom seal and the opening of the bag. If the edges are uneven, the bag is likely handcrafted, which makes it less airtight. On the other hand, machine-sealed bags are evenly aligned and generally offer better airtightness and sealing.
2. Inspect the Heat-Sealing Line
If the sealing line is opaque, it indicates manual sealing. Such bags have poor plasticity, are prone to air leakage, and are stiffer, making them more susceptible to breakage. In contrast, machine-sealed lines are transparent, soft, and durable, ensuring over 95% airtightness and reliable sealing.

3. Examine Bag Color and Consistency
High-quality bags have a clear, uniform, and smooth appearance. To check thickness, open the bag and feel it by running your hands around in a circle. If you notice uneven thickness or thin spots, the bag is likely to tear easily.

4. Puncture Test with Fingernail
Inflate a bag and seal it. Try puncturing it with a fingernail. If the bag does not leak, it indicates good quality.
5. Submersion Test
Seal the inflated bag and submerge it in a water basin. If no bubbles appear, the bag is airtight and meets quality standards. Bags with leaks are more prone to contamination during cultivation.

6. Feel the Surface
Run your hands over the surface of the bag to check for smoothness. A smooth surface suggests that the bag contains fewer recycled materials, indicating higher quality.

7. Inspect Against Sunlight
Hold the bag up to sunlight to check for small black dots. These dots are unmelted particles from recycled materials. If such particles are abundant, avoid using the bag.
8. Stretch Test
Cut a strip about 1 cm wide from the bag. Hold both ends of the strip and gently pull to stretch it. The farther it stretches without breaking, the better the bag quality.



Additional Tips
There are many ways to evaluate bag quality, but it’s crucial to select cultivation bags from certified manufacturers. Mushroom cultivation is challenging and requires careful attention to every detail. Choosing high-quality cultivation bags is an essential step that should never be overlooked!

Piercing for ventilation during the mycelium development phase of shiitake mushrooms helps increase oxygen levels in the substrate, expel waste gases released by the growing mycelium, and accelerate its growth. This shortens the time needed for the mycelium to reach physiological maturity. Correct and reasonable piercing is one of the important measures to ensure high-quality, high-yield shiitake production in autumn and winter bag cultivation.

1. Characteristics of Oxygen DeficiencyMycelium growth slows down. The tips of the mycelium become thinner and uneven. Lumps or nodules may form. These symptoms indicate a lack of oxygen within the substrate bags, and piercing for ventilation becomes necessary.
2. Piercing MethodsFirst Piercing: When the mycelium circle has a diameter of about 10 cm: For bagged cultivation with sleeves, remove the sleeves. For bags without sleeves, pierce 4–6 holes around 2 cm inside the edge of the mycelium circle.
Second Piercing: When the bag is fully colonized by mycelium, typically 40–45 days after inoculation: Pierce on the side opposite the inoculation site. Keep the holes shallow, 1–1.5 cm deep, and create 20–30 holes per bag. This phase involves minor ventilation. Avoid large or deep holes or excessive hole numbers to prevent dehydration, which may hinder lump formation and primordia development.
Third Piercing: 7–10 days before removing the bags: This phase involves major ventilation. Holes should be 2 cm deep, with 40–60 holes distributed across the entire bag.

3. PrecautionsThe number and depth of holes affect oxygen levels, moisture content, and temperature within the substrate. Adjust these based on specific conditions of the substrate and environment. After piercing, reduce the stacking density per unit area. Arrange bags in a triangular (“△”) shape instead of a grid (“井”) to prevent excessive temperature rises, which could overheat and damage the mycelium.
4. Misconceptions About PiercingMany growers mistakenly believe that piercing should only occur after lumps or nodules appear on the substrate bag. However, the best time for piercing is 5–7 days after the mycelium fully colonizes the bag—before lumps form. Lumps usually result from a combination of high temperatures and oxygen deficiency. If lumps have already formed, the mycelium is already oxygen-starved. Piercing at this point can injure the mycelium, increasing the risk of "red water" leakage. To avoid such issues, pierce as soon as lumps begin to form or, ideally, beforehand.
5. Key Considerations for PiercingEnsure Full Mycelium Colonization: Piercing bags not fully colonized by mycelium increases the risk of contamination. Isolate uncolonized bags for separate management.
Prevent Cross-Contamination: Infected bags should be handled separately to avoid spreading contamination during piercing. A single infected bag can affect several others.
Temperature Management Post-Piercing: After piercing, the mycelium becomes more active and generates heat. Maintain temperatures around 25°C, and do not exceed 28°C to prevent overheating or damage to the substrate.

Effective management of temperature before and after piercing is critical to ensure substrate survival and success. Controlling temperature during this period is the key to achieving high survival rates. Once temperature is well-managed, success is within reach.