Why the yield of Pleurotus ostreatus becomes lower
Recently, many mushroom growers have approached me with a common concern: Is the yield of oyster mushrooms decreasing year by year? They've noticed significant differences compared to previous seasons. To better understand this issue, I conducted a survey and identified several key factors contributing to the decline in production.
One major problem is the long-term use of greenhouses for cultivation, leading to severe environmental degradation. Poor sanitation and incomplete disinfection are the primary causes of lower yields in Pleurotus ostreatus. According to test results, the number of contaminating bacteria at a new site was 63.95 per square meter, with 95% being harmful bacteria and 150 colony-forming units per square meter. After the first round of cultivation, these numbers can increase up to 20 times. These contaminants inhibit the growth of oyster mushrooms. The more times a site is used, the lower the yield becomes. In addition, the metabolic byproducts of the mushrooms themselves also have an inhibitory effect on their own growth. Therefore, it's recommended to change the cultivation location every 2 to 3 years or rotate the growing season. Another option is to adopt the southern model, where local bacteria are used, and mushrooms are grown off-site to reduce contamination risks.
Raw material quality is another critical issue. The main substrate used for oyster mushroom cultivation today is cottonseed hulls. However, due to technological advancements, modern cotton processing facilities now produce higher-quality byproducts, resulting in lower nutrient content in the available hulls. Additionally, cotton husks are now classified into different grades—large shell linters, medium shell cashmere, and small shell lint. Most growers aren't aware of these distinctions and assume that any cotton shell will work. However, short-shell cotton husks have low moisture and nutrient content, making it difficult for the second flush of mushrooms to fruit. On the other hand, small-shell cotton husks are high in moisture and nutrients, leading to significantly better yields. The difference between the two can be as high as 20%.
The quality of the mushroom spawn is also a crucial factor. High-quality spawn is essential for maximizing yield and profitability. However, it's hard to visually assess the quality of the spawn. Two strains may look identical, but one might be overgrown while the other is healthy, with vastly different technical inputs and production standards. Most farmers purchase third-grade spawn, often from small-scale rural producers whose operations are not well-regulated. This leads to issues like adulteration and poor quality control. Edible mushroom mycelium has a tendency to grow indefinitely, but with each division, it ages and becomes more prone to mutations. Some farmers even purchase pure strains from research institutions and use them continuously, which contributes to declining yields over time.
In conclusion, addressing these issues—environmental degradation, raw material quality, and spawn quality—is essential for improving oyster mushroom production. With proper management and informed choices, growers can overcome these challenges and maintain stable yields.
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