According to mushroom quotation provided by Guizhou Dili Agricultural Products Logistics Park, on August 14, Shiitake mushroom, Pleurotus cornucopiae, White beech mushroom, Brown Shimeji mushroom, Monkey head mushroom, Pleurotus nebrodensis, Enoki mushroom, Cordyceps militaris, Big Clitocybe, Seafood mushroom and Pleurotus geesteranus are 11 varieties that show price rise.

1. Price of Shiitake mushroom has risen from 10.6 to 12.4 CNY per kg, indicating 17% of increase range.

2. Price of Pleurotus cornucopiae has risen from 6 to 8 CNY per kg, indicating 33% of increase range.

3. Price of White beech mushroom has risen from 11.7 to 14.2 CNY per kg, indicating 21% of increase range.

4. Price of Brown Shimeji mushroom has risen from 13.3 to 15.8 CNY per kg, indicating 19% of increase range.

5. Price of Monkey head mushroom has risen from 14 to 16 CNY per kg, indicating 14% of increase range.

6. Price of Pleurotus nebrodensis has risen from 22 to 26 CNY per kg, indicating 18% of increase range.

7. Price of Enoki mushroom has risen from 5 to 5.3 CNY per kg, indicating 6% of increase range.

8. Price of Cordyceps militaris has risen from 13 to 14 CNY per kg, indicating 8% of increase range.

9. Price of Big Clitocybe has risen from 14 to 16 CNY per kg, indicating 14% of increase range.

10. Price of Seafood mushroom has risen from 12 to 14 CNY per kg, indicating 17% of increase range.

11.Price of Pleurotus geesteranus has risen from 9 to 10 CNY per kg, indicating 11% of increase range.

On the contrary, by August 14, Pholiota nameko and Drumstick mushroom are 2 mushroom varieties that show price fall.

1. Price of Pholiota nameko has dropped from 14 to 12 CNY per kg, indicating 14% of decline range.

2. Price of Drumstick mushroom has dropped from 12 to 10 CNY per kg, indicating 17% of decline range.

“Price of Superior Shiitake mushroom, Oyster mushroom, King oyster mushroom, Agrocybe cylindracea and Button mushroom is respectively at 14 CNY, 5 CNY, 6 CNY, 10 CNY and 10 CNY per kg. Price of several industrialized (factory-mode) mushroom varieties starts to climb in early August,” introduces manager of Guizhou Dili Agricultural Products Logistics Park passionately.

These three principles are the base of disease control on a mushroom farm. To my opinion there is no farm that has not a spot of disease somewhere.
But depending on what is done it will develop into a serious problem or it will stay a hidden time bomb.
If a problem is discovered it is of crucial importance that is recognised. To make sure that will happen training of people on the farm and especially pickers is needed. They are your eyes on the farm.
They need to know the most common diseases and especially in a young stage. Many places of dry bubble are not recognised and are only seen if the disease is in an almost incurable stadium. The small wart on a mushroom or grey spot is often missed.
The same goes for insects. Many growers do not know the difference between a phorid and a sciarid. Although the damage pattern is totally different, so Is the threshold where it really starts costing production. Also the cure is completely different.
Example: growers use diflubenzuron against phorids.
It is only active against sciarids.
If the disease is recognised then it should be isolated. It can be covered on the spot but the most important is to simply keep all doors closed. Check filters and door seals. If a room is infected, make sure the infection is contained in that one room and does not spread on the farm.
After the isolation the disease can be treated. If the spot is detected in an early stage one can do with just a sport treatment. If it is more the whole room should be taken on.
But too often the infection spreads and the whole farm must be treated. Generally room treatment for a full cycle with an overlap of two or three rooms to break the lifecycle of the disease.

So, just a test:
Look at the photo and spot the phorid. Or is it a sciarid?

Hericium mushroom (Monkey head mushroom) falls under with wood-rotting fungi and it is a kind of low-temperature type mushroom. Suitable temperature range for growth of mycelia is 6-34 degrees Celsius, the optimal range is at 25 degrees Celsius or so. When it is under 6 degrees, metabolizable action of mycelia stops while growth of mycelia is in tardy trend and easy to age at above 30 degrees Celsius. When it reaches 35 degrees Celsius, mycelia stop growing.

Besides, suitable temperature range for growth of sporocarp is 12-24 degrees Celsius and the ideal range is 18-20 degrees Celsius. When the temperature reaches over 25 degrees Celsius, sporocarps of Hericium mushroom lead slow growth or they are hard to form. And, when the temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius, sporocarps turn red. As temperature gets down, the color becomes darker, which indicates the insignificance of edible value.

Now, in China, time for artificial Hericium mushroom cultivation in greenhouse usually starts from November to next April, therefore, from May to October, it is hard to find fresh Hericium mushrooms in the market.
Hericium mushrooms cultivated in caves imply a new prosperous path. In southwest of Guangxi, China, there are many natural caves that feature karst landform. In these caves, temperature is kept at a range of 17-20 degrees Celsius all the year round while the humidity is always at 80% or so, which makes them the ideal environment for Hericium mushroom cultivation. Following this kind of cultivation pattern, market blank of fresh Hericium mushroom during May to October could be filled up in China.

As known to all mushroom growers, Hericium mushroom is aerobic, it is quite sensitive to the concentration of carbon dioxide, when the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air is higher than 0.1%, stems are stimulated to constantly branch and that fatally results in malformed mushrooms, hence it is of crucial importance to sustain fresh air in the caves. When necessary, growers could add air supply system in the caves.

During the formation phase of sporocarps, 85%-90% of air humidity is ideal, during that phase, sporocarps grow quickly and become white, supposing that air humidity is under 70%, surface of sporocarps seriously loses water, mushroom bodies become dry, shrunken and yellow. On the contrary, when it is higher than 95%, mushroom bodies are branched.

In many corn production areas in China, corncobs are mostly burned as firewood, which discloses low value in use. In response to the situation, corncobs are ably reused for Hericium mushroom cultivation. Specifically, after combining with smashed corncobs, sawdust, wheat bran, brown sugar and other selenium-rich raw materials, nutrient bags used for Hericium mushroom cultivation are higher in nutrition and more capable to promote the high output. Meanwhile, air, water and soil in the caves are free from pollution, rich mineral substances and microorganisms also elevate the high and healthier yield.