Morel Cultivation Using Compressed Nutrient Blocks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The cultivation of Morchella mushrooms relies heavily on exogenous nutrient bags, which are cumbersome to produce and remove, hindering efficient and sustainable development of the morel industry.
Innovation Solution
A cultivation method involving formed exogenous nutrient blocks made from wheat, corn cob, straw, quicklime, and potassium dihydrogen phosphate, applied directly to the spawn and covered with soil, allowing mycelia to absorb nutrients and reserve energy for fruiting, eliminating the need for traditional nutrient bags.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If exogenous nutrient bags are used for Morchella cultivation, then nutrient supply to mycelia is ensured, but operational complexity and production cost increase due to bag making and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the nutrient supply function from the complex bag structure and implements it through simple nutrient blocks placed directly in the soil. The bag-making and removal operations are completely eliminated, retaining only the essential nutrient supply function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the reusable but complex nutrient bags with simple, disposable nutrient blocks that are directly incorporated into the soil. These blocks are inexpensive to produce and eliminate the need for bag-making and removal operations.
2Quantity of substance
If exogenous nutrient bags are used for Morchella cultivation, then nutrient supply is maintained, but time and labor are consumed for bag making and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the nutrient supply function from the time-consuming bag operations and implements it through direct placement of nutrient blocks in the soil, eliminating bag-making and removal time.
Solution Approach 2:
The nutrient blocks are prepared in advance and placed directly into the soil during planting, eliminating the need for subsequent bag removal operations. This preliminary action saves significant time and labor.
3Quantity of substance
If traditional exogenous nutrient bags are used, then nutrient transport to mycelium network is achieved, but fruiting area and production efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing nutrient blocks at specific locations where mycelium networks will form, ensuring concentrated nutrient supply at critical growth points. This localized approach enhances fruiting area and production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical form of exogenous nutrients from bagged materials to solid blocks with controlled composition and particle size. This parameter change improves nutrient release characteristics and uptake efficiency by the mycelium network.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enhances nutrient utilization efficiency, reduces operational complexity, and increases fruiting area and production efficiency, making it suitable for both field and industrialized cultivation.
Implementation Method 1
provide energy through nutrients of an exogenous nutrient bag for later fruiting
Implementation Method 2
the mycelia will enter a nutrient-rich exogenous nutrient area, secrete various extracellular enzymes to decompose and utilize these exogenous nutrient blocks
Implementation Method 3
the exogenous nutrient block is obtained by compression forming; and the exogenous nutrient block has a particle size of 2-5 cm
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a cultivation method of morels and belongs to the technical field of cultivation of edible fungi. After nutrient contents that can be metabolized and utilized by morel mycelia are scientifically matched, sterilization treatment of exogenous nutrients is eliminated, and the exogenous nutrients are directly compressed for forming. Formed exogenous nutrient blocks and spawn is sowed and covered with soil, so as to realize a potential difference between “rich” and “poor” nutrients in a physical space. When the spawn germinate to form a mycelium network, the mycelia will enter a nutrient-rich exogenous nutrient area, secrete various extracellular enzymes to decompose and utilize these exogenous nutrient blocks, and transport them to a nutrient-poor mycelium network for storage, so as to complete nutrient assimilation and absorption, and reserve energy for later sexual reproduction.