The flower mushroom is the best among the commercial shiitake mushrooms. It is characterized by the cap surface cracking into chrysanthemum-like white markings, beautiful appearance, thick mushroom flesh, thin and short handle, rich fragrance, rich nutrition, and high commercial value. High (Figure 4-15). Due to the relatively strict technical requirements for flower mushrooms and the small output, domestic and foreign markets are in short supply. The temperature in winter is low and the relative humidity of the air is low, which is a good season for cultivating mushrooms. We should seize the opportunity to create conditions to produce more mushrooms and improve economic benefits.

Figure 4-15 Appearance of flower mushrooms

(1) Causes of flower mushrooms

The white cracks of flower mushrooms are not a unique species, nor are they There is no heritability of the trait, but the abnormal appearance of the fruiting body during the growth and development period in order to adapt to the adverse environment. In nature, the general process of flower mushroom formation is as follows: the fruiting body has grown to a certain extent, and suddenly encounters harsh environments such as low temperature, dryness, and wind that are not suitable for its normal growth and development. The surface cells of the cap are damaged due to water loss and low temperature. The growth slows down or stops, because the bacterial flesh and gills and other tissues are protected by the epidermis of the cap, and the humidity is higher than the epidermis. They can still continuously receive nutrients and moisture transported by the matrix, and the cells continue to proliferate, develop, expand, and then rupture. The surface cortex of the fruiting body forms moire or chrysanthemum-like patterns. At present, this phenomenon is also used in artificial bag cultivation, and similar management measures have been adopted to successfully cultivate high-yielding and high-quality flower mushrooms.

(2) Environmental conditions for the formation of flower mushrooms

① Low humidity Humidity is the main factor that determines the formation of high-quality flower mushrooms. When the external environment is dry (the air humidity is less than 70%) and the water content of the culture medium is low, the growth of bacterial flesh cells and cap surface cells cannot be synchronized, and the surface layer is bursting to expose the white bacterial flesh. As time goes by, the cracks gradually deepen, forming flower mushrooms.

② Low temperature Low temperature is an important factor in the formation of flower mushrooms. When the temperature is low (5-15°C), shiitake mushrooms grow slowly and have thick flesh, which lays the foundation for the formation of flower mushrooms. If the temperature is high, growth is fast, and the mushroom flesh is thin, even if other conditions are met, flower mushrooms will not form but will dry out quickly. The main reason why flower mushrooms have thick meat and rich nutritional deposits is low temperature. At low temperatures, it takes 20 to 30 days from mushroom buds to mature flower mushrooms.

③Temperature difference The formation of flower mushrooms requires a large temperature difference. The highest growth temperature is 18-22°C and the lowest is 5°C. Within this range, it can be artificially controlled to widen the temperature difference between day and night and promote the production of a large number of mushroom buds. Due to the low temperature, low humidity, and large temperature difference stimulation, the cells on the surface of the cap gradually dry up and shrink, and the mushroom flesh cells continue to increase. Finally, the surface of the cap is cracked and patterns are formed. The longer the conditions with large temperature differences last, the deeper the cracks and the more obvious the patterns.

④Light Light has a certain influence on the formation of flower mushrooms. Mushrooms generally grow in an environment with sufficient light, because light directly affects the color of the mushroom pattern: if there is sufficient light, the pattern will be white and of high quality; if there is insufficient light, the pattern will be milky white, yellow-white, brown, etc.

⑤Variety Although the variety is not a factor that directly affects the formation of flower mushrooms, the appearance of flower mushrooms formed by different varieties is quite different. Generally, the flower mushrooms formed by large varieties are still large in shape, and the cracks in the caps are few and deep; after the mushrooms are formed in varieties with small caps, the flower shapes are still small, and the patterns on the surface of the caps are many and shallow. Medium- and low-temperature strains have a high rate of blooming mushrooms when conditions such as temperature, humidity, and light are met; while strains of high-temperature strains have a greatly reduced rate of blooming mushrooms under the same conditions.