Factsheet 13/08 Horticultural Bradbourne House

Development East Malling

Mushrooms Company Kent ME19 6DZ

T: 01732 848383
F: 01732 848498
E: [email protected]

Mushrooms – Improving spawn-running

performance
Ralph Noble, Warwick HRI

This factsheet collates the results of several HDC and Horticulture LINK funded projects to provide
information on optimising the spawn-running of pasteurised compost in mushroom cultivation. It describes
how the rate of spawn-running can be measured and which factors are important in controlling it.

Introduction (Phase II) compost. This has to industry. Improving the efficiency of
be offset against a higher price of this stage of the composting process
Using bulk spawn-run (Phase III) the compost which is produced in can be achieved by optimising the
compost is a way for mushroom expensive, hygienic Phase III tunnels conditions for mushroom mycelial
growers to shorten the cropping (Figure 1). Availability of a plentiful growth in the compost. Achieving
cycle, and thereby reduce their supply of Phase III compost at a faster spawn runs can also reduce
energy and capital buildings costs competitive price is seen as key to competition to the mushroom
compared with using pasteurised securing a future for the mushroom mycelium from compost moulds.

1 Bulk production of Phase III compost in tunnel 2 Spawn run compost on conveyor

Measuring of mushroom mycelial activity by that caused by mushroom mycelium.

the heat produced. However, dry Growth tubes filled with compost and
spawn-running composts will rise in temperature containing spawn at one end can be
more than wet composts, for the used for measuring the rate at which
To produce spawn-run compost same amount of heat produced a mycelium growth ‘front’ progresses
efficiently, whether in bulk tunnels or by mycelium. Growth of competitor (Figure 3). A suitable method is to
in shelves, trays or blocks, it is vital moulds on compost and supple- put rye grains of spawn (8 g) into the
to be able to measure the progress ments can also increase compost end of a 200 x 30 mm boiling tube,
of mycelium spread. Compost temperatures, although the tempera- which is then partly filled with 30 g of
temperatures can give an indication ture ‘surge’ is usually earlier than compost to a mark 100 mm from the
closed end and plugged with cotton achieved by measuring the pH of a glass bodied combination pH
wool. The tubes are then kept at 25°C suspension of compost in deionised electrodes with an Ag/AgCl reference
and the distance of the mycelium front water (40 g in 400 mL). It is important cell are the Thermo Scientific Ross
in the compost from the closed end of to use a pH probe electrode with a Sure-flow (www.thermo.com) and
the tube measured every three days, good specification that is suitable for Jenway 924.002 (www.jenway.com).
until the mycelium reaches the top of use in slurries, and avoids compost Both probes are also available from
the compost. The mycelial growth rate proteins coating the electrode and Fisher Scientific (www.fisher.co.uk).
in mm/day can then be obtained by interfering with the reading. Suitable
plotting the distance against time in a
graph and measuring the slope. This
method can give an indication as to
which composts and spawn strains
produce a fast or slow spawn-run
but does not assess the density of
mycelial growth. The results obtained
in growth tubes (where compost is
maintained at 25°C) will not exactly
correspond with results obtained in
bulk, where spawn-running composts
have different self-heating capabilities,
as mentioned earlier.
The most accurate methods for
measuring the amount of mushroom
mycelium in compost involve deter-
mining the concentrations of enzymes
(laccase) or other compounds
(ergosterol) produced by the mycelium. 3 Measuring the rate of mycelium growth in growth tubes, with least growth on the left and most
However, these techniques are growth on the right
time consuming, require specialist
instrumentation, and/or the use of
toxic reagents and are unsuitable for Graph 1 pH of different composts during spawn-running. The lower the
every-day commercial use. A simpler pH the greater amount of mycelium and the larger the pH drop the better
and more practical method is to the spawn run.
measure the compost pH before and
after spawn-running. During spawn 8.0
run, compost pH declines from about
7.6 at spawning to about 6.1 after 7.5
colonisation by mushroom mycelium
(Graph 1). The fall in compost pH is 7.0
caused by calcium oxalate/oxalic acid
Compost ph

produced by the mushroom mycelium, 6.5

and is related to the amount of
mycelium present. It can be an indi- 6.0
cator of the subsequent productivity
of the compost. The compost pH 5.5 0 5 10 15 20
should therefore be measured before
and after spawn running. This can be Time, days

Compost and pH. Comparing different straw and exceed 0.09% of dry matter did
poultry manure composts revealed the mycelial growth rate decline.
environmental that there is an optimum moisture These values apply if only horse
content of around 69% at spawning. manure and/or poultry manure are
factors However, quite large variations in used as compost N sources. If other
pH, ash and total N content caused nitrogenous compost ingredients are
Compost characteristics little difference in mycelial growth used, particularly inorganic N sources,
rates. Compost total N at spawning the optimum pH and ammonium N
Mushroom composts are usually (2.3 – 2.65% of dry matter) and ash content of the pasteurised compost
analysed for total (Kjeldahl) nitrogen content had no significant effect. may be slightly different. By adding
(N), ammonium N (NH4 +), ash Only when the compost pH exceeded urea to the formulation, the pH of the
content, moisture content and for 7.85 and/or the ammonium N content spawned compost may be up to 7.9.
If ammonium sulphate is added, the points should be located in a room trays, shelves and blocks) or variability
ammonium N content of spawned or tunnel (more probes for new in compost or supplementation. The
compost may be up to 0.12% of dry installations or following changes to probes should be regularly calibrated.
matter and the pH of the compost will compost, supplements, spawn
be reduced by up to 0.5 units. etc) to check variability in compost
temperatures. Generally it is better Hygiene
to use cooling with more recirculation
Compost temperature than to introduce more fresh air Hygiene and filtration during spawning
which will increase drying out. The and spawn-running is of paramount
The compost temperature should be CO2 concentration in the compost importance and is dealt with in the
maintained at 25 – 27°C; temperatures can increase to about 1% v/v. Variable HDC factsheet 11/07 ‘Mushroom Virus
above 30°C must be avoided (Figure 4). temperatures may indicate uneven X (MVX) prevention’.
At least four temperature measuring airflow, variable filling (in tunnels or

Spawn and run compost can result in high Specific supplements are available
compost temperatures which are for use at spawning which have a
supplementary difficult to control. more delayed release of nutrition than
supplements designed for use at
nutrition casing. If yield increases are obtained,
Spawn strains this is usually reflected in an increase
Spawn rate and type in mushroom numbers rather than
Large off-white hybrid strains (U1 in mushroom size or quality. No signi-
Rye grain has largely replaced type) colonise compost more slowly ficant effect of supplementation has
millet as the substrate for spawn. than smooth white hybrid strains (U3 been found on the rate of spawn run.
Experiments have shown no signifi- type), and are less tolerant of sub- Supplementation of Phase II
cant difference between different optimal compost moisture. Mid-range compost can encourage the growth
spawn substrates and the rate of hybrids strains are intermediate in of competitor moulds in the compost
spawn run. The rates of spawn used the rate of compost colonisation. The and increases in compost temperature
in compost vary widely. In North compost temperature surge for brown mean that it should not be conducted
America, rates of 1% w/w are common. strains is usually earlier than for white during warm weather without cooling.
In the UK and Ireland, a rate of strains although the length of spawn If supplements are used in Phase II
0.5% w/w has been standard for many run is slightly longer. compost, the benefits (if any) over
years, based on earlier research. Exotic strains of Agaricus mush- unsupplemented compost should be
Lower rates of 0.3% w/w are generally rooms, such as horse mushrooms regularly assessed.
used for ‘indoor compost’ spawn- (A. arvensis) and A. blazei are intol- There is clear evidence that the
run in bulk tunnels in the Netherlands. erant of compost ammonium, which presence of the naturally occurring
Experiments at Warwick HRI should be less than 0.03% of dry thermophilic fungus Scytalidium
compared spawn rates of 0.5% w/w matter at spawning. The spawning thermophilum is important in enhanc-
(equivalent to 8 litres per tonne of rate, about 1.5% w/w or 24 litres per ing the selectivity of compost to
compost) and 0.8% w/w (equivalent tonne of compost, also needs to be mushroom mycelium. Composts which
to 13 litres per tonne of compost). higher than for A. bisporus. reach uniformly high temperatures
Compost was spawned into trays (>70°C) in Phase I bunkers, and
with the strain Sylvan A15. The higher are not allowed to re-colonise with
rate resulted in an earlier compost Supplements a naturally occurring microbiota,
temperature peak, and a greater drop including Scytalidium, before Phase II,
in compost pH during spawn run- Results with supplementation of can produce poor spawn-runs. This
ning which meant spawn run time Phase II are variable and much less problem can be avoided by giving the
was reduced by one to two days. The predictable than the effects of emptied Phase I compost a ‘cooling’
higher spawn rate also produced a supplementing spawn-run compost. period of several hours, and/or a
slightly higher mushroom yield. The Supplements usually contain varying small amount of Phase II compost as
effect of increasing the spawn rate amounts of protein (soybean meal, an ‘inoculum’, before filling for Phase
should therefore be tested on farms corn gluten meal, vegetable matter), II. Experiments at several commercial
alongside the standard rate of spawn lipids/fats, and/or other nutrients. composters have failed to provide
used. Surface spawning trays had no The nutrients are usually in a delayed conclusive evidence that the cropping
effect on spawn run. release form to minimise heat surges, performance of normal compost
A duration of 16 – 17 days is usually and to prolong the release of nutrients can be further improved by an artificial
required to obtain a full spawn-run, into the cropping period. This is usually inoculum of Scytalidium.
although this can be shortened by achieved by heat and/or chemical
1– 2 days if a higher spawn rate is denaturing (eg with formaldehyde) or
used. Casing of immature spawn by coating the supplement.
Compost pressing reducing compost porosity, resulted
in delayed spawn run and reduced
and fill weight mushroom yield, compared with
unpressed compost or compost
When compost is spawned in trays pressed for 6 seconds. Commercial
or shelves, pressure is applied to composts are typically pressed
increase the amount of compost that for 3 – 4 seconds so that blocks retain
can be filled; in the case of blocks it their shape and compost is below
also keeps the substrate in shape. the top edge of trays. The optimum
Increasing the quantity of compost duration of applying pressure for
pressed into a tray, shelf or block individual composts will depend on
increases the yield per unit area and moisture content and how dense or
results in heavier firmer mushrooms open their structure is (less duration
than shallower layers of compost. of pressing for wetter, denser and/or
However, increasing the compost fill less porous composts). The effect
weight per cropped area reduces the of the duration of pressing compost
mushroom yield per tonne of compost and compost fill weights should
and increases spawn-running temper- be tested on farms and adjusted
atures and requirement for cooling, according to the properties of the
particularly in warm weather (Figure 4). compost and the need and avail- 4 Pressure applied to compost can
Applying pressure for an excessive ability of cooling. affect spawn-running temperatures and
duration (12 seconds), and thereby mushroom yield

Action points • If the current spawn rate is lower benefits over untreated compost
than 0.8% w/w (13 litres per tonne should be evaluated.
• Measure the pH of compost before compost), the effect of increasing
and after spawn run – a larger pH the rate to this level on spawn run • The amount of compost and
drop indicates a better spawn run. and subsequent cropping should duration of applying pressure
be checked to compost in trays, shelves
• Variability in compost tempera- and blocks should be regularly
tures, and calibration of • If surface spawning and supple- checked in relation to compost
temperature probes, should be mentation of pasteurised compost moisture content and texture.
regularly checked. are currently practiced, the

Further information www.hdc.org.uk or the HDC office reference cell are the Thermo
(01732 848383). Scientific Ross Sure-flow (www.
This factsheet has been compiled Hygiene and filtration during thermo.com) and Jenway 924.002
from the findings of the series of HDC spawning and spawn-running are (www.jenway.com). Both probes are
projects M3a, M3b, M3c, M3d and covered in the HDC factsheet 11/07 also available from Fisher Scientific
M3e. Further detail on these projects ‘Mushroom Virus X (MVX) prevention’. (www.fisher.co.uk).
is in the project reports available to Suitable glass bodied combination
HDC members from the HDC website pH electrodes with an Ag/AgCl

Whilst publications issued under the auspices © 2008

of the HDC are prepared from the best Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.
available information, neither the authors nor No part of this publication may be reproduced in
the HDC can accept any responsibility for any form or by any means without prior permis-
inaccuracy or liability for loss, damage or injury sion of the Horticultural Development Company.
from the application of any concept or proce-
March 2008 dure discussed. Design and production: HDR Visual Communication