Cultivation method for improving postharvest preservation quality of agaricus bisporus based on coco coir-turf composite covering soil

Abstract

The invention discloses a cultivation method for improving the postharvest preservation quality of agaricus bisporus based on coco coir-turf composite covering soil. The soil covering material is formed by mixing coco coir with the volume ratio of 40% and domestic turf with the volume ratio of 60%, and preferably, coco coir blocks with the specific particle size range and the turf produced in northeast China are selected. After the soil covering material is stirred by adding water and the pH is adjusted to 7.5 + / -0.3, the water content of the soil covering material reaches 71.2% + / -3%, and the soil covering material can be used for soil covering cultivation of agaricus bisporus. According to the method, the postharvest fresh-keeping quality of sporocarps is remarkably improved on the premise that the total yield of agaricus bisporus is not affected through the soil covering material with a specific proportion, and the specific performance is that the weight loss rate in the storage period is reduced by 50%-75%, the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is inhibited by 26.4%-33.9%, the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) is reduced by 48.7%-64.3%, and the hardness retention rate is increased by 10% or above. The industrial problems that traditional turf resources are non-renewable, imported turf is high in cost and poor in quality after harvesting are solved, and an innovative soil covering solution is provided for green, efficient and high-quality production of agaricus bisporus.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of industrialized cultivation of edible fungi, specifically relating to a casing material for the cultivation of Agaricus bisporus, its preparation method and application, and particularly to a coconut coir-peat composite casing material that can significantly improve the post-harvest preservation quality of Agaricus bisporus and a cultivation method using the material. Background Technology

[0002] Button mushrooms are the most widely cultivated edible fungus worldwide. Casing is a crucial step in button mushroom cultivation, inducing fruiting body formation and influencing yield and quality. Currently, peat moss is commonly used as the primary casing material in factory production due to its excellent water retention and porosity. However, peat moss is a non-renewable natural resource, and its extraction severely damages wetland ecosystems and exacerbates greenhouse gas emissions. Both domestic and international efforts have begun to restrict peat moss extraction and use, making the search for environmentally friendly alternatives an urgent need for the sustainable development of the industry.

[0003] Existing technologies have included studies on partially replacing peat moss with materials such as coconut coir, mushroom substrate, and clay. However, these studies primarily focus on the impact of these substitutes on mushroom yield, using only a single evaluation indicator. For example, some literature reports that using coconut coir can maintain or slightly increase yield. However, button mushrooms are mainly sold fresh, and their post-harvest quality and shelf life directly determine their commercial value and economic benefits. In-depth research unexpectedly revealed that different casing soil substitutes have vastly different effects on the post-harvest preservation performance of mushrooms. For instance, using 40% imported peat moss to replace domestic peat moss, while initially yielding higher yields, resulted in mushrooms that experienced extremely rapid weight loss, severe browning, and rapid softening during storage, significantly shortening their commercial shelf life. This crucial issue has been overlooked in previous research and patents.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new type of casing material and supporting cultivation technology that can not only replace scarce peat resources and maintain stable yields, but also actively improve and even significantly enhance the post-harvest preservation quality of button mushrooms. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cultivation method for improving the post-harvest preservation quality of button mushrooms based on a coconut coir-peat composite mulch.

[0006] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the technical solution provided by the present invention is: a casing material for improving the post-harvest preservation quality of button mushrooms, composed of coconut coir and peat moss, wherein the volume percentage of coconut coir is 40% and the volume percentage of peat moss is 60%.

[0007] The preferred technical solution is that the coconut coir has a particle size of 2-15mm; the peat moss is moss peat moss produced in Northeast China, with a pH value of 5.5-6.5.

[0008] The preferred technical solution is that the moisture content of the covering material is 71.2% ± 3%.

[0009] The preferred technical solution is that the pH value of the covering material is 7.5±0.3.

[0010] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the technical solution provided by the present invention is: a method for preparing the aforementioned cover material, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0011] Step 1: Mix coconut coir and peat moss in a volume ratio of 40:60 to obtain a mixture.

[0012] Step 2: Place the mixture in a mixer, add water and mix for 5-10 minutes to obtain the mixture;

[0013] Step 3: Adjust the pH of the mixture to 7.5 ± 0.3;

[0014] Step 4: Adjust the moisture content to 71.2%±3% to obtain the covering material.

[0015] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the technical solution provided by the present invention is: a cultivation method for improving the post-harvest preservation quality of button mushrooms based on coconut coir-peat composite mulch, wherein the mulch material is used for mulching when cultivating button mushrooms, and the mulch layer thickness is 4-6cm.

[0016] The preferred technical solution is that after the casing operation, the following management is carried out: maintain the temperature of the button mushroom culture medium at 25-27℃, the air humidity at 98%-100%, and the CO2 concentration at 5000±500 mg·L⁻¹ for 4-5 days; after the mycelium grows to the surface of the casing, lower the air temperature to 17-18℃, the air humidity to 85%-90%, and the CO2 concentration to 1200±200 mg·L⁻¹ to induce fruiting.

[0017] Due to the application of the above technical solution, the advantages of this invention compared with the prior art are:

[0018] 1. Breakthrough focus on and solution to post-harvest quality issues: This invention is the first to directly and systematically link the casing material with the post-harvest preservation performance of button mushrooms, and provides a solution to fundamentally extend shelf life through source (casing) regulation, breaking away from the previous technical limitations of only focusing on yield.

[0019] 2. The ratio produces unexpected synergistic effects: Experiments have shown that the specific volume ratio of 40% coconut coir to 60% domestic peat moss produces a synergistic effect of "1+1>2". At this ratio, the physical structure (water retention, aeration) and chemical / microbial environment of the casing soil precisely guide the accumulation of suitable dry matter in the fruiting bodies of Agaricus bisporus, thus endowing them with excellent intrinsic physiological properties of resistance to water loss, browning, and softening. Deviating from this ratio (such as using 40% imported peat moss) has the opposite effect.

[0020] 3. The technical effects are extremely significant and quantifiable: Using the casing material of this invention, the key quality indicators of button mushrooms stored at 4℃ for 8 days far exceeded those of the control and other alternatives.

[0021] Weight loss rate reduced by 50%-75% (compared to imported peat treatment);

[0022] The activity of the key browning enzyme (PPO) was inhibited by 26.4%-33.9%;

[0023] The accumulation of membrane damage markers (MDA) decreased by 48.7%-64.3%;

[0024] Hardness retention rate is improved by 10%-15%.

[0025] 4. It has environmental, economic and practical value: Replacing 40% of non-renewable peat with coconut coir, a renewable agricultural waste, is in line with the development direction of green agriculture; the cost of domestic peat and coconut coir is lower than that of imported peat, which reduces production costs; the method is simple, does not require modification of existing mushroom houses and equipment, and is easy to promote in factory production and among farmers. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 Comparison of weight loss rates of button mushrooms produced by the soil covering material (treatment A) of this invention, the control (CK), and the comparative material (treatment B) during storage at 4℃ (first flush).

[0027] Figure 2 Comparison of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity in button mushrooms produced by the soil covering material (treatment A) of this invention, the control (CK), and the comparative material (treatment B) during storage at 4℃ (first flush).

[0028] Figure 3 Comparison of malondialdehyde (MDA) content in button mushrooms produced by the soil covering material (treatment A) of this invention, the control (CK), and the comparative material (treatment B) during storage at 4℃ (first flush).

[0029] Figure 4 The hardness comparison of button mushrooms produced by the soil covering material (treatment A) of this invention, the control (CK), and the comparative material (treatment B) during storage at 4℃ (first flush). Detailed Implementation

[0030] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in these embodiments.

[0031] Please see Figure 1-4 It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., illustrated in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes and to aid those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the invention. They are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and therefore have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to the size are not permitted. The following embodiments are provided to better understand the invention, but are not intended to limit it. Unless otherwise specified, the experimental methods used in the following embodiments are conventional methods. Unless otherwise specified, the experimental materials used in the following embodiments were purchased from conventional biochemical reagent stores.

[0032] Example 1: Preparation of Covering Material

[0033] Raw materials: coconut coir blocks (purchased from Shandong, particle size 5-10mm), domestic peat moss (sphagnum moss from Heilongjiang, pH about 6.0), quicklime.

[0034] Mixing ratio: Measure 4L of coconut coir blocks and 6L of domestic peat moss using a measuring cylinder and place them in a mixer.

[0035] Mixing: Add an appropriate amount of water to the mixer and start mixing for 5 minutes to make the water initially uniform.

[0036] Adjustment: Slowly add quicklime powder while monitoring the pH of the mixture until it stabilizes at 7.5. Continue stirring and add small amounts of water until the moisture content of the mixture reaches 71.2% (calibrated using the drying method). This yields the cover material of the present invention (denoted as Group A).

[0037] Comparative Example 1:

[0038] 100% domestic peat moss cover soil (CK group) was prepared, and the pH was adjusted to 7.5 with a moisture content of 64.3%.

[0039] Comparative Example 2:

[0040] A mixture of 40% imported peat moss (from Finland) and 60% domestic peat moss cover soil (Group B) was prepared, with the pH adjusted to 7.5 and the moisture content set at 79.4%.

[0041] Example 2: Experiment on the cultivation of button mushrooms

[0042] Cultivation medium: Factory-produced triple-fermented culture medium for button mushrooms.

[0043] Covering with soil: The covering materials prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were respectively used to cover the surface of the cultivation basket material covered with Agaricus bisporus mycelium (strain A15), with a covering thickness of 5 cm. Each treatment was repeated 5 times.

[0044] Mushroom Management: After casing, the mushroom house environment is controlled as follows: maintain the substrate temperature at 25-27℃, air humidity at 98-100%, and CO2 concentration at 5000 mg·L⁻¹ for 5 consecutive days. Once the mycelium has grown to the soil surface, adjust the environment to: air temperature at 17-18℃, air humidity at 85-90%, and CO2 concentration at 1200 mg·L⁻¹ to induce fruiting. Harvest the first flush of mushrooms 22 days after casing, and harvest the second flush after cleaning the roots and replenishing water.

[0045] Yield results: As shown in Table 1, there was no significant difference in the total yield of Group A (the present invention), Group B and Group CK (P>0.05), indicating that the soil covering material of the present invention does not affect the final output.

[0046] Table 1. Effects of different casing materials on the yield of Agaricus bisporus.

[0047]

[0048] Example 3: Postharvest preservation quality determination

[0049] Sample: Take the fruiting bodies of the first fresh mushroom in Example 2 that are of uniform size and undamaged.

[0050] Storage: Store in a cold storage at 4℃, and take samples for testing on days 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8.

[0051] Measurement indicators and results:

[0052] Weight loss rate: such as Figure 1 As shown, on day 8 of storage, the weight loss rate of group A was only 2.6%, significantly lower than that of group B (5.8%) and group CK (3.9%). During days 2-8, the weight loss rate of group B was 1.7-2.8 times that of group A.

[0053] PPO activity: such as Figure 2 As shown, on the 6th day of storage, the PPO activity in group A was 1.8 U / g, which was significantly lower than that in group B (2.2 U / g), but there was no significant difference from the CK group.

[0054] MDA content: such as Figure 3 As shown, on the 6th day of storage, the MDA content in group A was 2.0 nmol / g, which was significantly lower than that in group B (3.3 nmol / g) and group CK (2.3 nmol / g).

[0055] Hardness: such as Figure 4As shown, on the 8th day of storage, the hardness of group A remained at 4.2 N, which was significantly higher than that of group B (4.0 N) and group CK (4.0 N).

[0056] Conclusion: The above data fully demonstrates that the use of the 40% coconut coir + 60% domestic peat moss mulch material specified in this invention can comprehensively and significantly improve the post-harvest freshness of button mushrooms while ensuring the yield of button mushrooms, effectively extending the shelf life of the product. The technical effect is remarkable and unexpected.

[0057] Example 3:

[0058] Example 1: Validation of the correlation between dry matter content and postharvest quality

[0059] 1. Materials: The first flush of button mushrooms produced by Group A (preferably covered with soil), Group B (comparative covered with soil), and Group CK (control covered with soil) obtained from the cultivation in Example 2 of Proposal 1.

[0060] 2. Measurements: a) On the day of harvest, the dry matter content of the fruiting bodies of each group was measured (method as described in the original text). b) The button mushrooms of each group were stored at 4℃, and the PPO activity, MDA content, weight loss rate, and firmness were measured on day 6 and day 8, respectively.

[0061] 3. Results and Correlation Analysis:

[0062] The dry matter content of Group A (the present invention) is 9.10%, Group B is 7.95%, and Group CK is 8.40%.

[0063] like Figure 2-4 As shown, dry matter content (X-axis) is significantly negatively correlated with weight loss rate, PPO activity, and MDA content (Y-axis), and significantly positively correlated with firmness. Group A has the highest dry matter content, and its corresponding preservation quality indicators are the best.

[0064] Conclusion: The data clearly confirm that dry matter content is a reliable key indicator for predicting postharvest preservation performance. Maintaining it at a high level (e.g., ≥7.25%, close to or reaching the level of Group A) is an effective way to extend shelf life.

[0065] Example 2: Adjusting the dry matter content by changing the proportion of coconut coir

[0066] Design: Set the coconut coir volume replacement ratios to 0% (CK), 20%, 40% (preferred in this invention), 60%, and 80% for soil covering treatment.

[0067] Cultivation and determination: Agaricus bisporus was cultivated according to standard methods, and the dry matter content of the fruiting bodies of the first flush of mushrooms in each treatment was determined.

[0068] Results: The dry matter content initially stabilized and then decreased with increasing coconut coir ratio. The dry matter content of the 40% coconut coir treatment (preferred embodiment of the present invention) was not significantly different from the control (CK) and was significantly higher than that of the 60% and 80% treatments. The dry matter content of the 20% coconut coir treatment was also not significantly different from the CK.

[0069] Analysis: This study confirms that adjusting the proportion of coconut coir can regulate dry matter content. A substitution ratio of 30%-50% is suitable for achieving the goal of "maintaining or slightly increasing dry matter content," with 40% representing the optimal balance point among multiple objectives, including maintaining dry matter content, ensuring yield, and optimizing post-harvest quality.

[0070] Example 3: Applying the method of this invention to guide a production company's plan to produce a batch of button mushrooms for long-distance cold chain transportation, with the goal of maintaining a marketable yield of over 90% after 10 days of storage at 4°C. The company adopted the method of this invention as follows:

[0071] Target setting: Based on historical data models, the target for the dry matter content of fruiting bodies at harvest time is set at ≥8.0%.

[0072] Scheme selection and implementation: From the known scheme library, the 40% coconut coir + 60% domestic peat moss covering scheme, which has been jointly verified by the related invention and this invention, and can stably produce a dry matter content of about 9.1%, was selected for production.

[0073] Results: The dry matter content of the produced mushrooms was tested to be 9.0±0.3%, meeting the target. Actual storage tests showed a weight loss rate of only 2.2% after 10 days, with slight browning, and a marketable rate of 92%, fully meeting market demand.

[0074] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment for explaining the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Therefore, any modifications or changes made to the present invention under the same inventive spirit should still be included within the scope of protection intended by the present invention.

Claims

1. A casing material for improving the post-harvest preservation quality of button mushrooms, characterized in that, It is composed of coconut coir and peat moss, with coconut coir accounting for 40% by volume and peat moss accounting for 60% by volume.

2. The casing material for improving the post-harvest preservation quality of button mushrooms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coconut coir has a particle size of 2-15 mm; the peat moss is moss-type peat moss produced in Northeast China, with a pH value of 5.5-6.

5.

3. The casing material for improving the post-harvest preservation quality of button mushrooms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The moisture content of the covering material is 71.2% ± 3%.

4. The casing material for improving the post-harvest preservation quality of button mushrooms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pH value of the covering material is 7.5 ± 0.

3.

5. A method for preparing the covering material according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Step 1: Mix coconut coir and peat moss in a volume ratio of 40:60 to obtain a mixture. Step 2: Place the mixture in a mixer, add water and mix for 5-10 minutes to obtain the mixture; Step 3: Adjust the pH of the mixture to 7.5 ± 0.3; Step 4: Adjust the moisture content to 71.2%±3% to obtain the covering material.

6. A cultivation method for improving the post-harvest preservation quality of button mushrooms based on coconut coir-peat composite mulch, characterized in that, When cultivating button mushrooms, the covering material described in any one of claims 1-4 is used for covering, and the thickness of the covering layer is 4-6 cm.

7. The cultivation method for improving the postharvest preservation quality of button mushrooms based on coconut coir-peat composite mulch as described in claim 6, characterized in that, After the casing operation, the following management is carried out: maintain the temperature of the button mushroom culture medium at 25-27℃, the air humidity at 98%-100%, and the CO2 concentration at 5000±500 mg·L⁻¹ for 4-5 days; after the mycelium grows to the surface of the casing, lower the air temperature to 17-18℃, the air humidity to 85%-90%, and the CO2 concentration to 1200±200 mg·L⁻¹ to induce fruiting.

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