Enoki is a delicious edible mushroom and a healthy food that is rich in protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Bottle cultivation of enoki is the main method of factory-based and automated production.

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

1.Raw Material Preparation
Mix raw materials according to the nutritional needs of the mushroom species (e.g., 78% sawdust, 20% bran, 1% gypsum, 1% lime). Use sawdust from broad-leaved trees (e.g., poplar, birch) and screen out large impurities. Bran must be fresh and free of mold, while corn cobs should be crushed into particles 1/4 to 1/3 the size of a corn kernel for uniform mixing. Use a spiral mixer to blend the materials for 15-20 minutes, ensuring even distribution and consistent nutrition to support mycelium growth.、

2.Bag Formation
Use a bagging machine to evenly fill polypropylene bags with the prepared mixture, adjusting weight and compactness as required (e.g., shiitake mushroom bags typically weigh 1.2-3 kg with moderate compactness). After filling, seal the bags with a binding machine to ensure a firm closure, preventing contamination. Machine binding is more efficient and reliable, making it a critical step in the production process.

3.Sterilization
Sterilization is crucial and requires strict control of temperature, pressure, and time:
Atmospheric Sterilization: Place the mushroom bags in a sterilization chamber, maintaining a temperature of 100°C for 10-12 hours using steam.
High-Pressure Sterilization: Sterilize under high temperature and pressure (121°C, 0.1-0.15 MPa) for 2-3 hours. This method is more effective but involves higher equipment costs. After sterilization, allow the bags to cool to a safe temperature before moving to the inoculation stage.

4.Inoculation
Inoculation must be performed in a sterile environment. Operators wear sterile clothing and use disinfected tools (e.g., inoculation needles, scoops) to evenly introduce the spawn into holes or onto the surface of the mushroom bags. The inoculation amount depends on the species and bag size (e.g., 10-15 g per bag for enoki mushrooms). The inoculation room is equipped with air filtration systems, UV lamps, and ozone generators to maintain sterility. Pass-through windows facilitate the transfer of materials while minimizing external contamination.

5.Cultivation
Place mushroom bags on multi-layer cultivation racks with adequate spacing for ventilation and observation. Adjust the environment based on the mushroom species:
Temperature: 22-26°C for shiitake, 20-25°C for king oyster mushrooms.
Humidity: Maintain at 60-70% using humidifiers or dehumidifiers.
Light: Oyster mushrooms thrive in diffused light, while enoki mushrooms grow better in darkness.
Ventilation: Ensure 1-2 air exchanges per hour to meet the oxygen needs of the mycelium.
Regularly inspect the growth conditions, and adjust ventilation or environmental parameters if excessive growth or abnormalities are detected, ensuring smooth cultivation progress.

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.