Cara Menjaga Persekitaran Rumah Cendawan

Persekitaran rumah cendawan yang kondusif untuk pertumbuhan cendawan adalah sangat penting. Penjagaan rumah cendawan yang sempurna dan penyediaan ruang yang bersesuaian sangat diperlukan. Selain itu, suhu dan kelembapan juga adalah faktor kritikal yang perlu dijaga untuk memastikan cendawan dapat menghasilkan pengeluaran yang baik.

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a) Persekitaran

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Bilik cendawan perlukan persekitaran yang bersih, tersusun dan bebas daripada bakteria, haiwan dan serangga perosak. Oleh itu, rumah cendawan perlu dijaga dengan baik dan sempurna.

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Antara kawalan yang dilakukan untuk menjaga kebersihan di dalam rumah cendawan adalah seperti:

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Meletakkan kapur di atas rak

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Kapur perlu ditabur di atas rak yang kosong sebelum meletakkan beg cendawan baru. Tindakan ini bertujuan untuk membunuh bakteria yang terdapat di sekitar rak dan rumah cendawan. Selain itu, kawasan di sekitar rak beg cendawan yang dijangkiti penyakit juga akan diletakkan kapur untuk mengelakkan jangkitan kepada beg cendawan yang lain.

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Meletakkan serai wangi di dalam rumah cendawan

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Serai wangi perlu diletakkan di dalam rumah cendawan berfungsi untuk menghalau dan membunuh serangga kecil dan lain-lain haiwan perosak yang terdapat di sekitar rumah cendawan.

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Serai wangi tersebut akan dicampurkan dengan sedikit air dan diletakkan di dalam botol yang telah ditebuk sedikit lubang. Melalui lubang tersebut, bau serai wangi akan dapat disebarkan di sekitar rumah cendawan secara menyeluruh. Botol tersebut akan digantung di sudut depan setiap tiang rak beg cendawan.

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Beg cendawan rosak dan tamat jangka hayat

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Beg cendawan yang tamat jangkahayat, rosak, dijangkiti dan bermasalah haruslah diasingkan dan dibawa keluar agar beg media baru dapat dibawa masuk dalam rumah cendawan untuk menggantikan beg media yang lama. Ia juga dapat mengelakkan jangkitan bakteria daripada beg yang telah dijangkiti.

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Penyediaan ruang yang sesuai

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Ruang di dalam rumah cendawan perlu mencukupi untuk aktiviti pengurusan dan pengendalian setiap aktiviti yang berlaku di dalam rumah cendawan seperti penyimpanan beg media baru, penuaian hasil cendawan, penjagaan air dan pengurusan beg media yang telah tamat jangkahayat.

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Rak Cendawan

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Rak cendawan yang dibina haruslah mempunyai luas dan ketinggian yang sesuai untuk menyimpan beg cendawan. Di samping itu, rak juga perlu diletakkan pada jarak yang sesuai dan selesa untuk pengendalian bagi aktiviti penyimpanan beg media yang baru, menuai cendawan matang dan menyembur air.

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Untuk penanaman berskala kecil, jarak diantara rak yang dibina sekurang-kurangnya boleh memuatkan seorang pekerja dengan membawa sebiji bakul dan membolehkan akiviti penjagaan tanaman dapat dilakukan dalam rumah cendawan dengan mudah.

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Bagi penanaman berskala besar pula, jarak diantara rak haruslah membolehkan kerja-kerja penuaian dibuat dengan menggunakan kereta sorong oleh pekerja yang mengendalikan kerja-kerja tersebut.

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b) Suhu dan Kelembapan dalam Rumah Cendawan

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Suhu dan kelembapan adalah aspek penting yang perlu dititikberatkan dalam mengendalikan rumah cendawan kerana ia sangat mempengaruhi pertumbuhan cendawan dan hasil cendawan yang bakal diperolehi.

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Persekitaran semulajadi iaitu suhu pada siang hari samaada pada hari panas dan hujan adalah mempengaruhi suhu dan kelembapan di dalam rumah cendawan secara langsung.

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Selain itu, pemilihan reka bentuk dan bahan yang digunakan untuk membuat bangunan rumah cendawan juga menjadi faktor yang mempengaruhi suhu dan kelembapan dalam rumah cendawan. penting kerana ia akan mempengaruhi tumbesaran cendawan dan juga ketahanan beg media itu sendiri.

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Bangunan yang dibina menggunakan konkrit

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Faktor kelembapan akan dipengaruhi oleh suhu dan haba yang terperangkap di dalam rumah cendawan tersebut.

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Secara teori, udara panas yang mempunyai ketumpatan yang rendah akan naik ke atas dan apabila udara tersebut menjadi sejuk iaitu dalam ketumpatan yang tinggi udara tersebut akan turun. Proses ini dipanggil proses perolakan. Selain itu, beg media tersebut akan mengeluarkan haba melalui pemecahan spora dan mengurangkan kelembapan dalam rumah cendawan.

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Suhu dan kelembapan yang kondusif untuk pertumbuhan cendawan

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Suhu yang sesuai untuk rumah cendawan adalah pada suhu bilik iaitu antara 25-27'c.

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Manakala, kelembapan yang bersesuaian adalah antara 80-83 peratus kelembapan.

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Perlu diletakkan alat penyukat suhu dan kelembapan di dalam rumah cendawan untuk mengetahui suhu dan kelembapan sebenar. Ia hendaklah diletakkan pada sudut bahagian tengah rumah cendawan.

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Kaedah kawalan suhu dan kelembapan

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Kaedah kawalan suhu dilakukan dengan beberapa cara seperti :

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1) Air Paip Semburan

2) Air Hujan Tiruan

3) Kipas Udara

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Air Paip Semburan

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Oleh itu, kaedah pertama iaitu air paip semburan digunakan untuk mengatasi masalah ini. Semburan akan dilakukan dengan menyiram di hujung beg media dan juga lantai rumah cendawan. Kaedah ini akan mengurangkan jumlah udara yang panas naik ke atas.

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Siraman air menggunakan paip semburan akan dilakukan sebanyak 5 kali dalam sehari iaitu pada jam 11.00am, 3.00 pm, 5.30pm dan 12.00pm dan 7.00am pada hari panas dengan suhu biasa 28º-32º untuk mengekalkan suhu pada 25º-30º.

Pada hari hujan sepanjang hari, siraman pada beg dan bunga cendawan akan dikurangkan, hanya lantai akan diberi air yang lebih.

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Teknik menyembur air yang betul:

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• Berdiri di tengah laluan antara rak cendawan sambil memegang paip semburan.
• Menyembur bahagian lantai sehingga betul-betul basah dan lembap.
• Selang-selikan semburan dengan menyembur ke arah beg cendawan untuk melembapkan sedikit beg cendawan.
• Elakkan menyembur air terlalu banyak pada bunga cendawan untuk mengelakkan bunga cendawan daripada basah, membesar dengan lebih cepat dan merekah.
• Pada hari panas, rumah cendawan perlu disiram air yang lebih dan pada hari hujan pula, air yang disembur ke atas beg cendawan mestilah dikurangkan.

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Kipas

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Kipas digunakan untuk membawa masuk udara yang sejuk daripada luar dan menyejukkan udara panas di dalam rumah cendawan. Proses perolakan berlaku secara gelora disebabkan udara daripada kipas tersebut. Sebahagian udara yang sejuk akan turun, manakala udara yang panas akan keluar melalui lubang di atas bumbung tersebut.

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Air Hujan Tiruan

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Hujan tiruan akan dipasang sewaktu cuaca panas kerana proses sinaran yang dipancarkan melalui matahari akan memanaskan lagi udara di dalam rumah cendawan. Air tersebut akan mengurangkan proses sinaran untuk menembusi bumbung. Udara panas yang masuk akan dikeluarkan oleh kipas.

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Air tersebut akan mengurangkan proses sinaran untuk menembusi bumbung. Ia akan menyejukkan bumbung dan mengurangkan kepanasan dalam rumah cendawan.

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Kesimpulannya, kaedah pertama iaitu paip semburan adalah kaedah utama digunakan dalam mengawal suhu dan kelembapan di dalam rumah cendawan. Air yang disembur akan diberikan mengikut suhu dan kelembapan dalam rumah cendawan yang sentiasa berubah-ubah mengikut perubahan persekitarannya.

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Kaedah kedua dan ketiga digunakan sekiranya dinding rumah cendawan dibuat dengan menggunakan batu-bata dan bumbung adalah zink. Ia sentiasa dilakukan sebanyak 5 kali sehari ataupun mengikut keperluan walaupun suhu kurang dari 27oC.

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Apabila suhu luar melebihi 29oC ke atas, kaedah kedua dan ketiga akan digunakan untuk mengekalkan kelembapan rumah cendawan.

Taiwan Planters protest against China Mushroom

Many Chinese mushroom products are sold at a lower price by disguises as those made in Taiwan, the Taiwan Mushroom Research and Development Association (TMRDA) said yesterday, according to a report of Liberty Times.
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Chen Tsung-ming, director-general of TMRDA, and its member Hou Wen-liang jointly noted with the package of mushrooms priced at NT$399 that the climate of Taiwan is not hospitable to flower mushrooms, therefore, its price are much higher than mushrooms from abroad. It is not usual to see Taiwan mushrooms at such a low price, added Chen.
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In response to the accusation, personnel of Won-Lai-Won Enterprise Organization, which put these mushrooms on sale, said firmly that they are 100% sure these mushrooms are made in Taiwan and the accusation is groundless.
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However, Hsu Liang-hsing, head of the promotion unit of Kuantian Farmer’s Association, also confirmed that they don’t plant mushrooms in Kuantian.
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Chen noted that at least over 25% of mushrooms in Taiwan market are from China. China mushrooms come to Taiwan through transit trade in containers of Southeast Asian countries and smuggling. A much lower price sharpens its competitive edge in Taiwan market.
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Furthermore, in the market of processed products, more than 70% of oil rice, rice dumplings, pork balls and the like consist of China mushrooms to the detriment of the profits of Taiwan mushrooms planters, Chen added.

Foodservise business colud be creeping back up

When the economy took a dive, so did business throughout the foodservice industry. But several mushroom grower-shippers said they’ve noticed gradual upward movement in their sales to restaurants this winter.

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After dropping off in the middle of 2008, foodservice business started picking up again late this fall for Monterey Mushrooms Inc., Watsonville, Calif., said Joe Caldwell, vice president.

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Some of the sales upturn may have resulted from the company’s efforts to let foodservice operators know just how versatile mushrooms are, Caldwell said.

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“Mushrooms have flexibility,” he said.

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They can be used in breakfast, lunch or dinner offerings; in Mexican, Italian, Asian, German or American dishes; and in sandwiches, salads, soups and casseroles.

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“It’s not likely that this item in your inventory is going to be overstocked or unused,” he said. “You’re using it for something all the time.”

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Sales of the prepared mushrooms that Avondale, Pa.-based To-Jo Mushrooms offers are up significantly, said Paul Frederic, senior vice president of sales and marketing, perhaps because foodservice operators are looking to take labor out of the back of the house.

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“That aspect of foodservice is doing nicely,” he said, while fresh sales are down a bit.

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Bill Litvin, vice president of sales and national account manager for Giorgio Foods Inc., Temple, Pa., also said foodservice business has experienced a decline, but he added, “It seems to have started to recover.”

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Likewise, Avondale, Pa.-based Modern Mushroom Farms has seen its restaurant business take a dip, said Greg Sagan, senior vice president of sales and marketing, “but we are starting to see a slow recovery as consumer confidence increases.”

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White mushrooms are the top-selling variety for foodservice customers of Kennett Square, Pa.-based Phillips Mushroom Farms, said Kevin Donovan, national sales manager.

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But portabellas have become favorites in a couple of chains, and the shitakes also are becoming more popular.

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Even quick-service chains use mushrooms on burgers and in sauces, salads and side dishes, he said.

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To-Jo Mushrooms offers several sizes of fresh mushrooms in 3- to 10-pound cartons of whole and sliced white, portabella and specialty mushrooms, like crimini, shitake and oyster mushrooms, Frederic said.

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In addition, To-Jo offers marinated refrigerated pouches of kettle-cooked portabellas, garlic mushroom sauté, marinated button mushrooms, burgundy mushrooms, balsamic marinated mushrooms, caramelized skillet mushrooms and herbed oil-infused mushrooms.

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White mushrooms still are king in the foodservice category, but shitakes and brown mushrooms are becoming a large factor, Litvin said.

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“Special sizes of white mushrooms for specific applications are the major request,” he said, and the company also gets requests for product packed in egg carton-type packaging.

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Chefs choose mushrooms in many of the same ways consumers do, based on factors like availability, ease of use and price, Sagan said.

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Chefs use more whites and portabellas,” he said, “but we are seeing increased interest in specialties across foodservice.”

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Retail still makes up the largest percentage of Modern Mushroom Farms’ business, he said, “but we believe foodservice plays an important role in our sales strategy and includes an appropriate sales balance.”

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Monterey Mushrooms conducted a promotion with Sodexo in 2009, and Caldwell pointed out that fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s offer good-tasting mushroom burgers. He said he was eager to try similar offerings from Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s.

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Many of the chains’ mushroom burgers started off as limited-time promotional items and caught the public’s attention.

Rare mushroom found in Saanich

An extremely rare mushroom that looks as if it's wearing yellow rubber boots has been found on Observatory Hill in Saanich.

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Victoria mycologist Oluna Ceska, who is working on a fungi inventory for scientists at the National Research Council's Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, found the Squamanita paradoxa mushroom Nov. 27, and has now had its identity confirmed.

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It's the first time the Squamanita has been found in Canada, she said.

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Ceska's husband, Adolf, former botany curator at the Royal B.C. Museum, was with her when the strange mushroom was found.

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"Adolf almost wanted to throw it away and I said, 'My God, put it back and take pictures,' " said Ceska, who did not know exactly what it was, but sensed it was rare. "I thought it was just a new species of a genus I knew, but when I got home I couldn't find out what it was."

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When she realized what she had found, her excitement grew and she contacted other mycologists around the world.

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Squamanita was described by University of Washington mycologists in Seattle in 1948 and some have been found in the Mount Hood area.

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There was another report of the species from Priest Lake, Idaho.
"Our find is the first in Canada and perhaps only the third record from North America," said Adolf Ceska.

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Even in Europe it is rare, with about half a dozen reports from areas such as France, Italy and the Czech Republic, said Oluna Ceska. What makes the mushroom particularly interesting is that it grows parasitically on more common species of mushrooms, she said. That means the bottom of the fungus, which resembles the yellow boots, is a completely different species.

"The lower part is not even related."

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Samples of the mushroom have been sent to the University of B.C. herbarium and to the University of Tennessee, where a DNA analysis will be conducted.

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Photos have been sent to other researchers and the find will probably be included in a paper written by a U.S. mycologist on North American species of fungus.
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"Now we know where it grows, we can go every year to see if it's fruiting. Everything depends on the weather," Ceska said.

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The Squamanita could also be growing in other areas of Vancouver Island, said Ceska, who would like to hear from anyone who thinks they have seen the mushroom.

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Southern Vancouver Island has a wealth of fungi, said Ceska, who believes someone should be compiling an in-depth inventory of species in B.C. During the five years Ceska has been working on the Observatory Hill inventory, she has documented 850 species. "And I am sure that is not close to the final number," she said.

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Ceska can be contacted at aceska@telus.net.
jlavoie@tc.canwest.com

Puree of Mushroom Soup

This dish is similar to a cream of mushroom soup, but without the dairy. This soup is pure mushroom, with a couple of potatoes thrown in for thickening. Served with paper-thin slices of mushroom as garnish, it makes a very elegant soup.

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• 1 1/2 pounds white or cremini mushrooms
• 1/2 ounce dried mushrooms, any kind
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallot or onion
• 3 or 4 garlic cloves, green shoots removed, minced
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce (optional)
• A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and few sprigs each parsley and thyme
• 2 medium potatoes (5 or 6 ounces total), preferably on the starchy side (such as Yukon gold), peeled and diced
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Chopped flat-leaf parsley or slivered fresh sage leaves for garnish

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1. Set aside 4 medium mushrooms for garnish. Stem the remaining mushrooms, and cut the caps into quarters. Set aside the caps, and combine the stems with the dried mushrooms in a large saucepan.
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Add 1 1/2 quarts water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes. Set a strainer lined with cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or paper towels over a bowl, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all of the tasty liquid remaining in them. Season the broth to taste with salt. Discard the dried mushrooms and stems.
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2. Heat the olive oil (or olive oil and butter) over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot, and add the shallots or onions. Cook, stirring, until tender -- about three minutes for shallots, five for onions. Add the garlic, and stir together for about 30 seconds. Add the quartered mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt.
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Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender and have released a lot of juice, about 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the sherry and the soy sauce, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the stock, the bouquet garni and the potatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer 1 hour. Remove the bouquet garni, and discard.
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3. Working in small batches and covering the top of your blender tightly with a kitchen towel, puree the soup. Alternatively, use a hand blender to puree the soup in the pot. (You’ll get a smoother, more velvety texture if you use a blender.) Return to the pot, and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you wish, stir in another tablespoon of sherry.
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4. Trim the mushrooms you set aside, and slice paper-thin. Toss with the lemon juice. Serve the soup, and garnish each bowl with chopped parsley or slivered sage and sliced fresh mushrooms.
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Yield: Serves four.
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Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead and reheat.
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Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com. -The New York Times