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GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

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CHAPTER 20<br />

Casing: A Topsoil Promoting<br />

Mushroom Formation<br />

B utton growers long ago discovered that, by placing a<br />

layer of peat moss over compost grown through w<strong>it</strong>h mushroom<br />

mycelium, yields were greatly enhanced. The casing served<br />

several functions. Foremost, the casing layer acted as a moisture bank<br />

where water reserves could be replenished through the course of each<br />

crop. The casing layer also lim<strong>it</strong>s damage to the mycelium from fluc-<br />

tuations in relative humid<strong>it</strong>y. Besides moisture, the casing provides<br />

stimulatory micro-organisms, essential salts and minerals. These combined<br />

properties make casing a perfect environment for the formation<br />

and development of primordia.<br />

In the cultivation of gourmet and medicinal mushrooms, casing<br />

soils have lim<strong>it</strong>ed applications. Cultivators should be forewarned that<br />

green-mold contamination often occurs w<strong>it</strong>h soil-based casing layers,<br />

especially when air circulation is poor and coupled w<strong>it</strong>h contact<br />

w<strong>it</strong>h wood. The possible benef<strong>it</strong>s of casing are often outweighed by<br />

the risks they pose. Few saprophytic gourmet species are absolutely<br />

dependent upon casing soils, w<strong>it</strong>h the exception of the King Stropharia,<br />

(Stropharia rugoso-annulata).<br />

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