Straw mushrooms cultivation technology is very popular in South East Asia and can be cultivated outdoors or
indoors. This cultivation technology uses rice straw substrate which is
abundant, although other agricultural wastes can also be used. Outdoor straw
mushrooms cultivation technology is simple and very adaptable to rural areas.
The disadvantage of this technology includes large quantities of bedding
required, pests, weeds, damage of beds by heavy rains and low yields resulting
from poor management. The beds should be raised to facilitate drainage and shaded.
The straw should be arranged in beds while tied in bundles
and trimmed on both ends for uniform length. The bundles should be soaked in
clean water for 2-3 hours up to 24 hours. Draining before piling bundles on the
soil or cemented floor is essential. The substrate is subjected to the squeeze
test to ascertain the quantity of water before spawning. After the layer is
complete, place spawns about 5-8 cm from the edge. The next layer of straw is
made and spawning continues for 3-4 layers, or bed height of 60cm, then covered
with plastic. This raises the temperature to about 35-38ºC which is optimal the
growth of straw mushrooms mycelia. This also conserves moisture eliminating the
need for watering straw mushrooms cultivation beds until fruiting.
During hot weather the beds should be loosely covered
so that the temperature inside does not rise too high to kill the mycelia.
Optimal temperature required during spawn run is 24-38ºC, 80-90% relative
humidity, CO2 concentration above 5000ppm and no light, which takes 5-10 days.
After 8-10days of incubation small white pinheads appear on the sides of the
bed. The plastic cover in the technology should be lifted to provide good
ventilation for cultivation of healthy fruit bodies. The straw mushrooms are
ready for harvesting 2-3 days after appearance of pinheads.
