Pleurotus geesteranus In taxonomy, Pleurotus geesteranus belongs to the phylum Fungi, the class Basidiomycetes, the order Agaricalales, and the genus Pleurotus in the family Pleurotaceae. The name comes from Taiwan. It is different from ordinary phoenix mushrooms in that it is smaller, with a stalk of 5 to 6 cm and a cap diameter of <3 cm. Pleurotus pleurotus is actually a relatively commercial name for the phoenix mushroom, which is the immature fruiting body of the phoenix mushroom.

The growth and development of Pleurotus pleurotus requires carbon, nitrogen and various mineral nutrients. It is a saprophytic fungus. Like other fungi, it does not contain chlorophyll and cannot produce nutrients through full photoreaction on its own. It relies entirely on ready-made organic matter to survive. During its development, the required carbon, nitrogen, minerals and auxins are all obtained from the cultivation materials.

Temperature factors

The humidity range for mycelial growth is 10-35℃, and the optimum temperature for growth is 25-27℃. When the temperature is below 10°C, mycelium basically stops growing; below 20°C, mycelium grows slowly. When the temperature is higher than 30°C, the mycelium will grow sparsely, turn yellow in color, and age easily; when the temperature is higher than 37°C, the mycelium will stop growing. The fruiting body grows in a wide temperature range and can produce mushrooms at 10-32℃, which is different from other oyster mushrooms. The optimal temperature for primordium formation and mushroom bud growth is 15-20°C. If the temperature is lower than 10°C, primordia will rarely be produced. Below 15°C, fruiting bodies grow slowly. When the temperature is higher than 25°C, the mushroom buds grow quickly and mature early, and the caps are often funnel-shaped when mature. During the fruiting stage, if there is a large temperature difference between day and night, primordia will be easily produced.

Moisture and Humidity

The basic requirement for the growth of mycelium is a moisture content of 65%. From the formation of the primordium to the maturity of the entity, the relative air humidity is required to be 85-90%. When the relative humidity is lower than 70%, less primordia are produced and the mushrooms tend to dry out and wilt. When the relative humidity is higher than 95%, the fruiting bodies tend to become soft and rotten.

Pleurotus pleurotus album

Air and light

The mycelium stage requires special ventilation conditions, while the fruiting body stage requires good ventilation. Conditions, if the CO2 concentration in the air is higher than 0.1%, it is easy to form deformed mushrooms with small caps and long stipes. The mycelium stage does not require light, while the fruiting body stage requires light. Scattered light can induce the formation and differentiation of primordia. Without light, fruiting bodies cannot be produced. Fruiting bodies grow normally when the light is between 200-2000 lux. If the light is too dark, it is easy to form deformed mushrooms. If the light is too strong, especially direct light, the fruiting bodies will easily dry up.

pH value

Phoenix mushrooms like to live in a slightly acidic or neutral environment. The most suitable pH value in the culture medium is 6.5~7[4]